Red and Orange Embers
by MellarksOrHerondales
Summary: Katniss and Peeta grow back together. They help to rebuild District 12 and so on. This story goes from when they first talk to when the get engaged. Only rated T becase The Hunger Games is not for kids that are 5 and some mild language.
1. Chapter 1:Friends

I sit there, watching the black log in the fireplace glow with orange and red embers. An image of the costume Cinna made for me flashes in my head along with a picture of his smiling face. It only reminds me of how I failed to protect so many others…my sister included.

I know I can't just sit here forever, but I have no reason not to. No one I love is here with me. Except Haymitch, but he has his drink and he's been just fine for the last 25 years why won't he be okay for the next 20?

My life feels like a grey fog has swallowed up everything around me giving everything a grey tint. Or maybe that's just the coal dust that seems to settle on everything. _Oh stop fooling yourself. You know that it's not the coal dust. Pfft. Coal dust._ I tell myself. The grey makes my food tasteless and bland, but I would never ever tell that to Greasy Sae. She does way too much for me already. The grey squeezes my heart in an attempt to kill it at the thought of people doing things for me and never being able to repay them.

I hate myself for sitting here like my mother did so long ago when my father died, but she had children who were young and starving.

_Excuses, excuses. Tisk, Tisk. Katniss I thought you knew better._ A nagging voice in my head says.

The door opens and I'm not too surprised to see Greasy Sae with a pot of warm soup.

"You know Katniss. I could really use some fresh meat." She comments. I just grunt in response. "I'm sure Peeta would like some too." He's been here for 2 weeks and I still can't talk to him.

I look at her in her grey seam eyes and say: "Don't bring him into this. I'm too exhausted to deal with him right now. So please, just don't." She nods her head and mutters something incoherent under her breath.

That night when she leaves, I curl up on the sofa in the formal living room and cover myself with a knitted blanket I'm sure my mother made sometime in the past.

***Nightmare***

**I'm in a stretch of barren earth. The sky is all grey and the ground is all grey as well. A slow grey fog slinks on the ground around my ankles. In the distance I see dark grey silhouettes. All of them silent and look as if they slink along the ground never lifting their feet. Slowly like they need build up, they start to moan and shriek. Their shrill voices ring through the air. I try to run, but my feet stay planted.**

"**Help!" I call out to the grey world. No one comes. The silhouettes get closer, their voices louder. I can now make out a few features on some of their faces. I see Prim and Rue. Prim is holding a match and Rue is holding a spear. I see Finnick and Cinna. Finnick is holding a small mutt by the collar and Cinna has got on spiked gloves his fists raised. Thousands of other people are there. Some with guns and some more like Prim have matches. Some even have arrows. My heart drops when I see Peeta amongst them. He has a needle and what I can only guess is tracker jacker poison in it. He is he first one to come face-to-face with me. He has stopped screaming just long enough to jab the needle into my arm and push the plunger down. He has eye contact with me the whole time.**

**Next are Prim and the other people with matches some up to me. All the matches light at once. The matches hit me. Prim still doesn't break eye contact with me.**

I wake with a start and end up falling off the couch and onto the floor face first. Hard. I roll over with a groan and rub my face with my hand.

I'm drenched in cold sweat. I stretch and get up to look out the window. Greasy Sae should be here any minute. I decide to clean up the living room.

Folding the blanket and setting it on the end of the couch I finish in record time.

The door opens and Greasy Sae walks in and trailing behind her is Peeta. Great. Just great.

"Morning Katinss." Peeta says in his amazingly charming voice.

"Morning." I mumble out.

"How'd you sleep?" he asks in the same voice.

I contemplate telling him the truth. Why not? I mean I won't be able to keep it from him long considering the dark circles under my eyes and the constant yawning. "Terrible. You?"

"Same." He rolls his eyes nodding. "Nightmares?"

"Yeah." I look down. Wow. This is so easy. I mean of course he cold lash out and attack me at any moment, but I've done some pretty bad things in the past so if he tries to kill me we're even. I sit down and motion for Peeta to join me. "So what have you been up too?"

He shrugs one shoulder. "I've been delivering bread to people while my bakery goes up. I still paint a little and I help with the rebuilding. What you been up too?"

"Nothing that's what. I go hunting sometimes, but I mostly stay here." I pause. "How is the rebuilding going anyway?" Greasy Sae brings us the food then leaves the house after me both mutter a small thank-you to her.

"It's going great. People are coming back and it's good because we need the man power." He pauses. "What are you doing today?" He asks as he shoves a fork full of food into his mouth.

"Nothing. I could come and help with the rebuilding. I'm pretty strong." I say shrugging one shoulder like it's nothing.

"Bet I'm stronger."

I laugh. "I bet you are."

"Friends?" Peeta sticks out his hand. I grab and shake.

"Friends.


	2. Chapter 2:Scars

Some people say that what doesn't kill you only makes you stronger. Well in my case that is completely and utterly false. I've been through two Hunger Games and a war I didn't die in any of those, but yet I've only gotten weaker. Peeta on the other hand has become strong. He lost his whole family, was Hijacked and made to believe the woman he loved could kill him at any moment, went through two Hunger Games trying to protect me, a war and intensive therapy. Through all of that he has come through not old Peeta or Hijacked Peeta, but kind, nice, charming new Peeta instead.

I'm thinking this as I hammer down yet another nail in the town. People stare at me, but what else is new.

It's in the middle of the summer in scorching hot weather and I'm wearing a long sleeve and jeans to cover up the scars that have ravaged my skin. I really don't need people to stare at me for those. I know why they stare at me. It's not really that hard to guess. I'm the Mockingjay they haven't seen in over a month. I'm sure they all thought I was dead.

I wipe the sweat off my forehead as I bend to pick up yet another 2x4 and walk over to the skeleton of Peeta's bakery. Peeta said that he wold be building today, but I haven't seen him yet and it's already half past noon.

I can't believe that we're friends again. I feel giddy with glee. I don't feel the grey fog anymore and I feel something. The numbness of before has now washed away and I now feel. I'm no longer a shell of who I used to be and I can feel the rebellious young woman coming through.

"Hey. I didn't think you'd actually show up." I turn around at the familiar voice.

"Really? You thought me-Katniss Everdeen-wouldn't show up?" I roll my eyes while shaking my head.

"How long have you been here working out here?"

"Since just after you left."

"Wow. Aren't you hot? I mean it's like 40 degrees out and you're wearing long pants and a long sleeve shirt." I hear genuine concern in his voice.

"Yeah."

"Why are you dressed like this then?"

"I don't want people to stare at my scars." I whisper looking down at my shoes.

"People are gonna stare at you anyway, you do know that right? You're the Mockingjay."

"I know."

"You're so self-conscious. Be proud of your scars. They make you who you are. They make you beautiful." He says this last part quietly.

A smirk grows on my face. "You think I'm beautiful?"

"Yes. I do." His ears start to turn red and I'm sure if I could see his face it would be red too.

"Thank-you." I say and he looks up to look me in the eyes.

"Y-you're not mad?"

"Peeta you called me beautiful, how could I be mad at you?" A boyish grin filled his face. "Now get to work. I want to be home for dinner and I want you to join me and Haymitch and Greasy Sae if I can convince her."

We work for the rest of the day and when I finish I head up to the Victors Village, Peeta following close behind.

"Would you like me to bring anything?" Peeta asks as he wipes the sweat off his forehead with his handkerchief.

"Yeah can you bring some bread?" I ask a smile on my face.

"Sure. See you later."

I walk up to Haymitch's door and just enter. He's probably too drunk to answer the door.

"Haymitch. I'm having a dinner at my house. You wanna come?" I ask once I get into his kitchen.

"Sure." He slurs.

"Are you sure you can get over there yourself? Do you need me to help you?"

"Oh shut up Katniss." I laugh at his reaction.

"See you later Haymitch. I say as I walk out of the soiled house.

I never liked going into Haymitch's house. It smells like vomit and mold and old liquor. He always wears the same soiled clothes and he never showers. Haymitch really needs to keep better care of himself, but then again he could say the same thing about me.

When I get home I see Greasy Sae looking all over the house for something.

"What are you looking for?" Greasy Sae jumps at my voice.

"You crazy girl. I was just about to send Molly for you." Molly is Greasy Sae's new dogs.

"Sorry. I should have left a note."

"It's okay." Sae pulls me into a hug. She smells like soap and beef soup. She smells strangely of the seam. When I hug her I get a strange feeling of safe that I usually only get when I'm around Peeta. It's nice. I feel something warm and wet on my cheek. I look up to Sae and see a tear roll down her face. "I thought you ran."

"Sae, I promise I will never, ever run. Okay?" Sae nods her head. "If I'm gone and there's no note then, I'm probably either over at Peeta's or Haymitch's or I'm in town to help rebuild. I only hunt when it's light out."

"You're like a daughter to me Katniss. I care so much about you."

"You're like a mom to me Sae. Even though my mom is still alive, she's not really in my life anymore. I really appreciate you helping me." I look around. "Sae, have you made dinner yet?"

"No. Why?"

"I invited Peeta and Haymitch to dinner. I want you to stay for dinner too, considering you make it." An infectious smile spreads across her face and then onto mine.

"Sure. I'll stay."

I help Sae make dinner by chopping vegetables and grating cheese. When I'm half-done chopping an onion, the doorbell rings. I walk up to the door to see who is there.

I'm expecting to see Peeta or Haymitch, but the scene that stands before me is something I did _not_ expect. Paparazzi and camera crews stand before my house, flashing me in my work attire. Questions are thrown my way. Will I ever have a nice conversation with Plutarch when I get back inside.


	3. Chapter 3:Book

I pop my head in the door.

"Is that them?" Sae asks.

"Nope." I answer grabbing my bow and quiver.

"What you need those for?" She nods at the bow and quiver.

"You'll see. Just stay in the kitchen unless you wanna end up on the cover of every magazine and newspaper in Panem." Sae ducks into the kitchen again. "That's what I thought." I mumble under my breath.

I hide my bow and quiver behind my back to hide it from the cameras. Once I show my face again the cameras start to click and flash.

"'Kay. Here's the deal. You leave the pictures with me and never come back and I don't call Plutarch to report you or I could shoot the cameras with my bow," I whip out my bow and notch an arrow into place. "and call Plutarch to report you. You'd be all without work and without material. You want to get an interview with me, set up an appointment that suits me." Half of them hand over the pictures of me. "You sure you don't wanna give those to me?" They all hand them over. "Good. If I find my picture in a magazine or newspaper or website or whatever, I will call Plutarch." _I so won't call Plutarch after today._ All the reporters leave my porch. I put down my bow.

"Hey!" Peeta says.

"Hey." I say exhausted.

"What happened Sweetheart?" Haymitch slurs.

"All we hear is you yelling and threatening to call…Plutarch?" They both start to laugh.

"Yeah. While you two were being weird I was yelling at the press to get away from my house or I would call Plutarch."

"Being weird?" Peeta asks, cocking an eyebrow.

"Yes, being weird." We all laugh. "C'mon, Sae is cooking dinner."

When we get into the house the smell of beef stew is wafting ever so gently in the air.

"Wow. It smells so good." Peeta states in absolute awe.

"Got any liquor?" Haymitch asks.

I look at Haymitch. "Yes."

"Can I have it?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Don't you think you're drunk enough?" Haymitch grunts and Peeta and Sae are cracking up in my kitchen. I laugh and roll my eyes.

After dinner Haymitch stands up and says: "Well, I best be going. Got to get up early in the morning."

"Since when do you wake up early?" I ask from the kitchen sink where I'm washing dishes.

"More like he has to go drink up because he's too sober." Peeta comments as he dries another dish.

"You're probably right." We both laugh.

"Haha. Very funny. Pick on little old me." Haymitch says as he walks out the door into the cool night air.

"We love you Haymitch!" I yell after him.

"Yes I best be going too. I hate to eat and run, but I do have a job and dinner started quite late. I've got to go." Sae explains.

"Don't worry about it Sae. We got it." I assure her.

"Yeah, thanks again for cooking." Peeta adds. We continue to wash dishes making small talk and dancing around the important hurtful topics. Such as his hijacking or my sister or his family. We do need to talk about them; it's just that I don't want to destroy the friendship that we have. It would be such a shame to have to start over.

When we finish up the dishes I walk over to the phone to call Plutarch about the reporters.

"Hello. This is Plutarch. How may I help you?" Plutarch says trough the phone.

"Hey Plutarch this is Katniss."

"What do I owe the pleasure to?"

"Plutarch, if you want to interview me, please call first. That way I'm not ambushed by reporters."

"About that…"

"Don't let it happen again, okay?"

"You got it Katniss. How are you and Peeta anyways?"

"We're good thank-you. Peeta and I will do an interview in the Capitol on remembrance day."

"Really?"

"Yeah, sure. Bye." I hang up the phone.

"So what's the verdict?" asks Peeta from behind me. I jump at his voice not noticing that he was there.

"The next interview for the both of us will be on remembrance day." I say with a small smile knowing that I won't have to deal with the cameras without Peeta by my side.

I go into the living room and sit on the couch I fell asleep on last night. I grab the plant book and open to the page with Rue flowers on it. Peeta sits next to me.

"I painted that. Real or not real?"

"Real. They're Rue flowers." The yellow and green picture stands at attention on the page. As I look at the picture of the flower I remember Rue. The tribute from 11. Suddenly an idea pops into my head. "Peeta?"

"Yeah?"

"I have an idea." Peeta looks me in the eyes and gives me his whole attention. "I was thinking, if you wanted to of course, you could, maybe, kinda, help me, um, help maybe make a book with the, uh, people, er, the people we lost? Please?" I stuttered.

"Sure. I'd love to help. It sounds like a great idea. It would help us remember the ones we loved and lost." I take a sigh of relief. I was so nervous. I didn't know if he would like it or not, but he does like my idea.

"Great. You could paint their faces if we couldn't find a photo and I could write everything I could remember about them. It would kinda be like the plant book except it would be with people."

"Yeah."

"On my next appointment with Dr. Aurelius I'll ask him to send parchment paper so we can get stared." I've been calling Dr. Aurelius once a week for a head treatment. I think it's been paying off because for one whole day I didn't want to scream randomly at nothing.

"Sounds like a plan." Peeta has that charming smile of his on and I have to admit, I love it.


	4. Chapter 4:Falling

Friends? More? Less? What are Peeta and I?

It's been a month since our new found friendship. We've worked on the book a lot together. Peeta gave me a list one day saying it was his list of things that can produce an episode:

Tracker Jackers/Wasps/Hornets

Needles

Blood

Pain

Anxiety/Fear

Dogs/Mutts

Gale

When I first saw the list I was surprised to see that my name wasn't on there, until he told me that I don't produce them, I intensify them. My first thought was: _Well that makes me feel a million times better. _Sarcasm implied. I felt terrible. He couldn't be friends with me. I'm a hunter. I deal with blood on a regular basis. When I told him this he just brushed it off and said he could control them. He also said that Dr. Aurelius told him to try to face them to learn to control them on a whim. I was still a little uneasy about him being around me.

That day I went around the whole Victors Village and removed all the wasp nests and got myself a couple thousand stings. He was happy that I did all that for him, but really mad for getting myself injured.

We now have a routine. I go over to his house for breakfast and he comes over for dinner. I hunt, he bakes and Haymitch drinks until the liquor runs out. Just like old times minus the whole President Snow-gonna-kill-you-if-you-don't-put-on-a-show thing and Peeta-is-my-fiancé thing too. This time Peeta is my friend and I'm here all alone without my sister and my mother. Peeta's all I got and I'm all he's got.

This is where my question comes into play. What do Peeta and I have? Are we friends, or are we more, or are we less. I don't want to ask, that would make me sound dumb. He trusts me so much and I trust him with my life.

That day as I walk into his house for breakfast the smell of pancakes wafts in the air. Peeta only makes pancakes if he has a hard question or has something really sombre to tell me.

As I sit down, Peeta sets down a plate of pancakes. I dress them in butter and jam.

"Katniss, I have a question." Peeta says sitting across the table from me. "It's about something that might have happened." He pauses. "Last night I had a dream about us."

"What do you mean 'us'?" I ask furrowing my brow.

"I had a dream where we were in a cave." He gets that look like he is far away, searching his mind for something. The details of his dream. Desperately trying to remember. "It was raining and I had just awoken form being asleep and I see you laying in a pool of blood. You weren't awake and there was a cut on your head. Real or not real?" The moment he woke up after the feast.

"Real, that was the moment you woke up from me drugging you so I could go get the medicine for your leg at the feast. I got a huge cut on my forehead courtesy of Clove and passed out from blood loss. It was in the first games." He nods now understanding.

"I also remember being in a sewer, I think, and I was having an episode. I see you grab my hands and kiss me on the mouth until you have to come up for air then you say 'stay with me.' and then I say 'Always.'. Real or not real?"

"Real. That was in the Capitol during the war just after the mutts killed Finnick." He nods.

"Finnick died because of me, real or not real?"

"Not real. That was all Snow."

We eat the rest of breakfast silent. When I get up to leave Peeta follows.

"What are you doing today?"

"I was thinking about hunting and then go help with the rebuilding."

"Okay. I'll be over for dinner then."

"'Kay."

When I get to the forest I decide to climb a tree. I pick a tree about 50 feet tall and climb it until I'm about 40 feet up.

I barely got any sleep last night due to nightmares and fall asleep in the tree. I wake up when a stick hits me in the face. It's then that I realize that I'm falling out of the tree.

I hit my right shin on the trunk of the tree while trying to stop from falling. I hear an audible crack that sends a crazy amount of pain up my leg to my spine. When I hit the ground I break the fall with my left arm causing my wrist to break and my arm to pop out of place. I'm overcome with pain and black out almost immediately. When I come to I'm still in the forest but it's about noon. I sit up and more pain shoots in every direction. I let out a groan of pain.

Now it's time to assess the damage. I definitely broke my right leg-the one that I hit on the tree trunk and I possibly broke a couple of ribs.

I manage to stand up with the aid of a tree. I limp to the fence gate and open it up to pass through. Once inside I start to limp to the hospital.

Thom, one of Gale's old crewmates in the mines before the Quell, comes up to me and says: "Katniss, are you okay?"

"Yes." He gives me a skeptical look, but doesn't ask more. The last thing I need is more people staring at me. I know I'm not okay.

When I arrive at the hospital I limp up to the reception desk.

"Can I help you miss?" The nurse behind the desk asks in a nasally voice not looking up at me.

"Yeah. I fell out of a tree while hunting and I think, no, I know I broke something." She looks up at me shocked to see the high and mighty Mockingjay is injured. "Yes, I'm injured. What else is new? Get me help." I guess I should have been less mean, but everything hurts and I'm at the end of my tolerance. "Sorry, I'm in pain. Just get me some morphine or something." The nurse nods still star struck. _Jeez, I'm not that cool._

The nurse takes me to a room and tells me to change into a hospital gown if I can.

I get my jacket half off and stop because of the pain on my arm and shoulder.

"If you could pop my shoulder back into place I could change into my gown by myself." I say to the nurse.

"I could do it, but it would have to be without morphine and that would be painful. Like more painful than what you're feeling now. If you get irritated when in this much pain I don't want to see you with more."

"Lady, I've been on fire, cut in the forehead, given a concussion, strangled, gotten shot, and been through explosion after explosion. I can handle all of this without morphine; I only want it to make it easier." I take a deep breath to calm myself. "Please just pop my shoulder into place." The nurse nods and comes to my side. I sit in the chair closest to me and she grabs my arm.

"Ready?" I nod. She places a hand on my shoulder and the other one on my arm. She pulls down on my arm and pushes down on my shoulder. The pain is worse than what was feeling before, but only emits a small intake of breath from me. A loud pop fills the room. _That was my shoulder. _I tell myself.

"Now change and I'll go get the X-Ray doctor." She says as she walks out of the room.

"Thanks." She smiles back at me.

I change into my hospital gown and sit in a chair, extending my right leg easing the pain.

As the adrenaline wears off, I start to feel all of the pain and it's almost unbearable.

The doctor walks in, closing the door behind him. "Hello, Miss Everdeen. I'm Dr. McKee. Can you tell me what exactly happened?"

"Sure. I went hunting this morning, as usual, and I was feeling unusually tired. I climbed a tree and fell asleep. I then woke up falling from the tree. I freaked out and started to thrash to stop myself from falling. In the process I slammed my leg into the trunk of the tree and heard a crack. When I landed I put out my arm to brace the fall and ended up breaking my wrist and popping out my shoulder."

"Okay. I'll be right back. I'm just gonna go get the camera. Do you want to call anyone?"

"Yeah." Dr. McKee handed me the telephone and told me if I could to move to the examination table. With much difficulty I limped over to the table. Once I was sitting on the table I dialed Peeta's home phone number. He probably won't be home, but I'll leave a message anyways.

Much to my surprise he answered. "Hello."

"Hey, Peeta."

"Hey, Katniss. Why are you calling from the hospital? Did Haymitch get hurt? Did you?" Stupid caller id.

"Haymitch is fine. I fell out of a tree hunting today so I won't be working on the bakery for a while. I also might be late for dinner."

"Is it severe?" He asks his voice thick with concern.

"Peeta calm down, I'm fine. I only have a few broken bones. I'll be fine, I'll live." I hear Peeta take a deep breath over the phone.

"Do you want me to come down there?" His tone is a lot calmer.

"Have you handed out the bread yet?"

"Yes."

"If you want to you can come by, but you might have to wait a while. The doctor still has to examine me and set the cast."

Peeta laughs. "How do you know you broke anything if you he hasn't even looked at the injury yet?"

"Peeta, trust me, I know." We both laugh. "I gotta call Haymitch. He will probably be too drunk to do anything, but he deserves to at least to know. Then I have to call Sae."

"I'll call Sae and Haymitch. You just get that cast on." We both laugh again. We say our goodbyes and hang up the phone just as Dr. McKee walks into the room with a computer and a small camera.

**A/N: Hey so my hotel has internet. =) I work on Word so I was able to write on the plane ride (4 1/2 hours). I usually write right before bed too. Here is chapter 4. You gys probably want to kill me right now becz of the cliffhanger... Thank-youu thank-you thank-you to people who reviewed last chapter (no one). Dr. McKee is my amazingly awesome dentest and I love him so I needed to put him into my story.**

**Suggestions?**

**Reviews?**


	5. Chapter 5:Attracted

"Well, Miss Everdeen. You broke quite a few bones." Dr. McKee says looking through the pictures he took, on the computer. "Your wrist is fractured and you shattered your leg. You also have a few broken ribs."

"Well that's not the worst injury I've ever had." I comment. Dr. McKee looks up.

"What was that?"

"Well I have two. One is that I got shot and lost my spleen. The other is that I lost like 75% of my skin to burns."

"Wow. That is pretty bad." Dr. McKee takes a seat and turns to me. "Miss Everdeen we need to put on a cast. Are you alright with that? Do you need or want anyone in here with you?"

"No. I should be good." Dr. McKee nods his head and sets to work.

"What color cast do you want?"

"Do you have forest green?"

"Yep."

"That one, please."

* * *

I walk into Peeta's house with the aid of my crutches.

"Hey Peeta." I call into his house.

"Katniss?" He calls from his kitchen, hopeful.

"Yeah."

"Are you okay? How bad is the damage?" He asks concern lining his voice.

"I'm fine. I broke my leg, wrist and a couple ribs." I explain.

"What about your shoulder? You said you popped it out of place"

"My shoulder is fine. There's just a little bruising. It still hurts a bit."

"Does your mom know yet? I mean, about your fall."

"Yeah I called her at the hospital." We sit on the couch facing each other, more for my leg than anything.

"How'd that go?"

"Wonderful" I say my voice thick with sarcasm. "She kept telling me what to do, where to go and when. I could barely understand her; she was talking a mile a minute." We both start to laugh. "She wants me to come visit."

"What did you say?"

"I told her I would come if the Capitol people let me go." Peeta nods his head. "Dr. McKee said to tell Dr. Aurelius and to take Sleep Syrup at night to make it easier to go to sleep with the pain." Peeta nods his head again. "In a month I go in to see how I'm healing. You know, to determine how long it will take to heal."

"You're such a klutz you know that right?" Peeta says with a smirk on his face.

"Haha. Very funny. Pick on the cripple." The smile on my face vanishes "I won't be able to help on the rebuilding."

"It's okay. If you want you could help me decorate the bakery. They finished yesterday."

"Thanks Peeta."

"No problem. Are you hungry? I just finished dinner."

"Yeah. Have you eaten yet?"

"No. I haven't."

"Then let's eat." We go to the dining room and sit in our usual spots. We play a round of Real or Not Real. When Peeta asks a hard question he quickly goes to a softer one right after the answer.

"You wake up screaming and thrashing from nightmares. Real or Not Real?"

"Real. Every night. Buttercup tries to help, but he hates me just as much as I hate him. I sometimes end up kicking him when I'm thrashing."

"I used to help you ward off them and it worked. Real or Not Real."

"Real. We used to seep together. On the train on the Victory Tour, you would come out of your room and come into mine. I let you in and you would sleep with me in your arms." I get a rush of warmth from the memory. A small smile spreads across my face.

"You did the same with Gale. Real or Not Real?" My smile vanishes. I see Peeta clench his fists at the mention of his name.

"Not Real." I shake my head. "Not Real. I just couldn't do that. It wouldn't feel right. He was like a brother, but he burned that bridge. No pun intended." Peeta nods. His fists unclench and his muscles visibly unclench.

This isn't the first time I've noticed his muscles, but it sure has an effect. His biceps bulge under his skin-tight t-shirt. The room is suddenly to hot. I'm officially attracted to Peeta.

I avert my gaze before I start to blush or do something stupid.

I finish my dinner and I wash my plate putting it in the cupboard.

"Sorry to eat and run, but I gotta go home and take my meds." _Please believe my terrible lie. Please believe it. _

"I'll walk you home. Don't want you to fall." _Shit._

I walk home, Peeta following close behind. When we get inside I go to the washroom and get a few orange flavored tic-tacks out of the medicine cabinet and a glass of water and down them like pills.

"We should work on the book." Peeta says as I walk into the room.

"Okay. Sure. I'll go get it."

"No you won't. I will. Where is it?"

"Peeta, it's right there." I point to the bookcase beside the fireplace. There are only four books on the whole thing: The Plant Book, Peeta's Families Recipe Book, Cinna's Mockingjay Suit Sketchbook and The People Book. They all look relatively the same though. Peeta grabs the book and sets it in between us.

"Okay. Who today? We've done Rue, Prim, my dad, Rye, Nikel, Cinna, Boggs and your dad." Peeta lists.

"Finnick!" I exclaim.

"How did we almost forget him?"

"I don't know. But we have gone against all odds, so we're not normal." We both laugh. When we finish Finnick's page I take my Sleep Syrup and get him to take me upstairs.

When he lays me in my bed I grab his wrist to keep him from walking away.

"Stay with me?"

Peeta looks at me in the eyes. Debating with himself. My eyes pleading him. I know what's going on. He's afraid of having an episode and hurting me.

"Always." Peeta slips into the bed beside me. I lay my head on his arm. He wraps his arms around my small frame, careful of my wounds.

**A/N: So sorry about chapter lag. We decided to go for a 6 hour drive to Ingonish. then stay there for a day then go to Chettecamp which is another hour drive and stayed there for another night. Then to get back to Halifax was a 7 hour drive. We stopped at every lookout point. That added another hour to our 7 hour trip. When we got back I had to upate my computer and that took forever. So yeah.**

**Anyways I need some suggestions. I know where I want to go I just don't know how to get there.**

**Review. Thank-you to those who did review. I answer to all the reviews so go ahead and review. Review.**

**I LOVE YOU ALL! 3**


	6. Chapter 6:BakeryPart One

I wake up to find the air in to room is cold and dank and the other side of the bed cold to the touch. Peeta's gone.

He must be making breakfast.

I get up and have a shower. I get dressed in a t-shirt and long stretch pants. I'm no longer afraid of what people think of my scars. Peeta said they make me look beautiful. I put a black ankle sock over top of my cast and on my other foot. I can only wear one shoe thanks to my fall. I pull my hair into a braid.

When I het downstairs, he is nowhere to be seen. He left.

I grab a sweater and walk over to his house to see if he's there. I knock on the door, no answer.

"Peeta." I call through the door. No answer still. There is only one place I can think he would go: The Bakery.

I go as fast as I can on my crutches to Peeta's bakery. The sky is full of clouds, heavy with rain. When I get there I see him through the window. I breathe a breath of relief. He's okay.

Now for my next problem: Why did he leave? Was it too soon? Does he hate me for rushing things? I don't think so. We've been… whatever we are for over a month and a half now. That, I think, is plenty of time. Or was it all just a pleasantly crazy dream?

I open the door to the bakery and walk in.

"You held me as I fell asleep last night. Real or Not Real?" I ask Peeta. Peeta turns to face me, but doesn't meet my eye.

"Real." He answers his voice just barely above a whisper.

"Why did you leave?"

"I left because I thought you were going to kill me." His words hit me like a ton of bricks. A single tear rolls down my face just as it starts to pour outside. I quickly wipe away the tear, but more come.

"I'll just eave then." I say through my tears. Who knew I could be so heartbroken? I step out into the rain pulling the hood of my sweater over my braid.

"Katniss wait." I continue to walk. He catches up to me in a flash. _Stupid crutches._ "I want to be with you. It's just…" He trails off.

"It's just what Peeta? You're scared? You're angry? You're hurting? Well guess what…I am too! You are the only thing that eases my fear and the pain that engulfs me. You're the only reason that I'm living right now. If it weren't for you I would merely be existing, not living. So if you're scared, if you're angry, if you're hurting, then join the club!" I pause for dramatic effect. I feel like one of those girls from one of those Capitol soap operas. "If you are, tell me so I can help you just like you help m-" Peeta cuts me off with a kiss on my lips.

The kiss was magical. In the street in, the pouring rain. It was heated and had much passion behind it. It held so much emotion: Pain, Anger, Sadness, Love, Passion, and heartbreak. It's our first kiss since the sewer.

We break apart for air, our foreheads still touching.

"Me." I finish my sentence. He smiles, and then laughs.

"You might need to get a new cast. Look at it." I look down to my foot. Sure enough there is my cast melting on my leg.

"I guess I'll see you later then?" I say looking into Peeta's blue eyes. "I gotta go get a new cast."

"I'll come with you."

"No you stay here; you've got work to do."

"That can be dealt with later. I'm taking you to the hospital. You are now officially my girlfriend." I smile up at him.

"Okay." We walk to the hospital. When we get to the hospital, Dr. McKee is at the desk talking to a nurse.

"Hey, Dr. McKee." I say. He turns around to see me and Peeta standing there soaked to the bone.

"Katniss, it's been less than a day and you've already destroyed your cast. How did you manage that?" Dr. McKee asks.

"It's raining and I don't have a car. I needed to help Peeta with the bakery. I forgot to grab my umbrella, I don't mind the rain."

"Are you guys okay? You must be freezing."

"I'm fine thank-you." Says Peeta in the sort of way you would speak to someone older than you, with respect.

"Peeta can you go get an umbrella? I don't need to come here again today or wait for this stupid rain to be over." Peeta nods his head and eaves he hospital.

"Miss Everdeen, you can go sit in that room over there and I'll be right in. Green right?" Dr. McKee points to a room.

"Yeah." I get to the room and it looks just like the one I was in yesterday.

Dr. McKee walks in and starts to remove the wet mess of what once was my cast on my wrist.

"Once I put the cast on your wrist again, could you do me the favor of rolling up your pant leg so I can put on your cast?" Dr. McKee says, looking up from my wrist.

"Yeah, sure." I answer.

Dr. McKee finishes my wrist and I hike up my pant leg to just above my knee. He starts to take off my cast on my leg. Once he finishes my cast on my leg, I put my pant leg over top of the cast.

"Now, when it's raining please remember to bring an umbrella with you. You shouldn't hunt until the leg cast comes off and you have adjusted to not having a cast again." Dr. McKee pats his hand on my wet back. "Are you sure you're not cold?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I've been through quite a bit, I think I could handle a bit of rain." I answer.

"Take care, Miss Everdeen."

"You take care too Dr. McKee." I answer, waving my hand as I walk out of the room.

I like Dr. McKee. He's nice. I think I trust him more than I trust Dr. Aurelius, but I never really trusted him. He's too Capitol for my liking.

When I get to the waiting room, Peeta is sitting in one of the seats - elbows on his knees and hunched over looking at the floor - holding the giant umbrella Effie sent to Peeta a couple of weeks ago.

"'Kay, let's go. You need my amazing artistic skills for your bakery." I say to Peeta. He chuckles.

"You. Katniss Everdeen, artistic? Okay." He stands up and we walk together to the door of the hospital. The rain has stopped, of course.

_I thought you were going to kill me. _Peeta said to me. Why did he think I was going to kill him? Did he think I was the mitt version of myself? Was he in the middle of an episode? Was it the after effects of a nightmare? All of the possible answers to my question are terribly depressing for me who, until today, didn't think I loved him like I did in 13. I now you can't just turn off love like we had, but I thought I was no longer in love with Peeta Mellark. I guess he snuck up on me again like Annie and Finnick.

Poor Annie. She's going to have her baby soon and it's not going to have a father all because of my stupid revenge suicide mission. If I hadn't made up that lie to my squad about Coin giving me orders to go to Snow and kill him myself, Finnick would still alive and Annie would still have a husband and their child would still have a father.

The grey fog threatens to swallow me up. Then do I realize that Peeta's been calling my name.

"What? Yeah?" I say snapping out of my thoughts.

"I was just asking what color we should paint the bakery's interior." Peeta says. "But you were off in that little mind of yours. Where exactly did you go anyway?"

"I was just thinking about a lot of things, Sad depressing things."

"What sad and depressing things?"

"Finnick's death, Finnick's kid not having a father, death, you thinking I'm a mutt."

"I don't think you're a mutt." Peeta says firmly. "At least not anymore." He adds quieter. I know he hates to remember the days that he hated me, but to remember them is to get over them.

"I know it's just that it's hard to not think about bad things when you don't have very many good things to block out the bad things with." At first Peeta looks worried – his eyebrows knit together in furrow – then he smiles an almost playful mischievous, like he knows something I don't know.

"Then I guess we'll just have to make some then, right?" He says opening the door to the eggshell colored bare drywall that makes up the walls of the bakery.

Row upon row of paint cans line the baseboards. A heavy sheet covers the floor to protect it from the paint, that with me doing the work is sure to get everywhere…including myself. I look at the paint cans in utter awe. I've never seen so many cans and they're all different colors.

"I couldn't choose what color so I got one of each. I got a good deal too. They said that whatever colors I didn't use I could either give to the workers working on the hoses or give I back to the store as long as it hasn't been used." Peeta says.

"What were you thinking about the feel you wanted in your bakery? Did you want that kinda cozy sort of I'm-at-home-baking-myself feel or did you want a theme like rustic western or having a picnic. You could get a mascot and do a theme around the mascot. Like the guy who sells dairy has a cow mascot."

"So what you're saying is that I should make like a toast superhero and make a theme out of that. Super toast to the rescue!" We both laugh.

"Hey, it's your bakery. You want to have flying toast attempt to save people who are like, I don't know, a hundred times bigger than it, be my guest." I say putting my hands up in mock surrender.

"Haha. Very funny." Peeta pauses, "Seriously though what are we gonna do in here? I don't like all these walls blank. It's eerie almost."

I look out the door Peeta propped open to let a breeze through the bakery. Through the door I see a dandelion that hasn't lost its seeds yet.

"I know exactly what we can do."

**A/N: Sorry to keep you guys waiting so long. i started to read The Mortal Insruments. Amazing books! I'm about half way through th 4th book out of 6. really good, like stay up reading until 3:30am...**

**i know, i'm sorry about the drama. Katniss and a little bit peeta are OOC. i think it just might be because i'm really good with words i find it hard to express an idea when you have it clearly in yor mind, but the character has to kind of not be able to put as clearly as you. if that makes any sence at all... peeta i know would want to take it slow and not push her, buut he saw her sadnes and just couldnt help it... =)**

**I made this chapter a two parter (i don't think 'parter' is a word, but it's fun to say so...) because i did't want to make you guys wait any longer.**

**thanks to Guest for the amazing little boost/help there. i needed it. thanks to Pineapple3000 for the suggestion i'm using it in the second part of this chapter.**

**Suggestions?**

**Review? If you're a Guest just give yourself a number or a name thx. Review?**


	7. Chapter 7:BakeryPart Two

"All the walls should be grey and then on that wall," I point to the wall that hides the kitchen behind the cash register, "should be a dandelion that hasn't shed its seeds yet."

Peeta's smile widens. "Where did that idea come from?"

I point to the dandelion outside. I turn back to Peeta and look to the wall I want the dandelion on. "Peeta, we should make that wall" I point to the wall I'm looking at, "dandelion yellow instead of grey and the dandelion should be grey."

Peeta just nods and smiles. "Okay. Sounds great. I'm gonna go down to the construction site and give them all this paint."

"Okay." I say distractedly looking at the wall I want to paint yellow. "I'm just gonna get started."

Peeta nods and walks out of the bakery with a wheelbarrow full of paint and heads down to the official construction site.

I open the can of dandelion yellow paint and pour it into a paint tray. I pick up the tray and walk over to the wall. Picking up the roller brush with the long handle to reach the top of the wall, I dip it into the paint and start to paint the wall in nice even strokes.

By the time Peeta gets back with and empty wheelbarrow, I have finished the first wall. I have yellow paint all over me: in my hair, on my shirt, on my pants and on both my casts.

Peeta chuckles. "You've got something on your face." He rubs my cheek with his thumb. "There, all gone." He says this last part in a whisper. I smile up at him. "You also have something in your hair." He puts his hand in my hair where I know the yellow paint is. "You know, I kind of like you with yellow paint in your hair."

I laugh and smack his arm playfully. "Whatever." I say as I roll my eyes.

"No, really. You'd beautiful even if you were wearing a barrel."

"A barrel, eh? I like that. I think I might start wearing barrels now." I say matter-of-factly.

"No seriously don't." Peeta says, his eyes growing to the size of bowling balls.

I start to laugh. "I'm just kidding."

I abruptly stop laughing when I see a bumble bee fly into the open bakery door. Peeta's pupils dilate and he looks at me and says

"Katniss. Go." He struggles just to get out those words.

Should I go? Should I stay? If I stay I could get hurt, but if I go Peeta could get hurt and I would be ultimately responsible. _No._ I can handle the pain and I know that whatever Peeta says right now he doesn't mean because he isn't himself.

"No. I'm staying here, I won't leave you." I say stubbornly.

Peeta strides towards me. "You. You're the one that killed my parents and my brothers. You're the one that killed all those innocent people of District 12 when it went up in flames. You're the one that-"

"No. Stop. I'm not the one that killed your parents or your brothers, the Capitol did. I'm not the one that killed all those innocent people when District 12 went up in flames, the Capitol did. I'm not the one that hijacked you, the Capitol did. Just stop. Come back to me. I know the real Peeta is in there. The good Peeta. Come back to me." I hold his gaze, my jaw locked and a silent tear running down my face.

Peeta's eyes go back to normal and he looks away in shame. I put my finger under his chin and gently make him look me in the eye. "Hey. It's okay. You didn't hurt yourself or me or anyone."

"I said such awful things. Why are you still here with me, not running for the hills like any sane person would do?"

"Peeta, that wasn't you that said those things. It was the Capitol." I rest my hand on the side of Peeta's face and he leans into my touch. I smile. "Peeta you know just as well as I do that I'm not completely sane."

We both laugh. He then leans in and kisses my forehead. "You're golden, you know that right?" he says.

"Let's get back to painting. Don't want to ruin a perfectly good painting day with sappy, cheesy romancey stuff." Peeta laughs as he pours the grey paint into the paint dish and starts to roll the paint onto the wall. I soon follow suit.

* * *

When Peeta and I walk back home that night, we are covered, head to toe, in grey and yellow paint.

"I can't wait until the bakery has its grand opening. There will be so many people from all over Panem." Peeta says, poking me in the ribs.

"Yeah, and we can't forget the fan-girling that will be going on. 'Oh my goodness. I can't believe I'm actually meeting Peeta Mellark! Oh my goodness. I'm standing in his bakery! All my friends are gonna be _so_ jealous!'" I say, my voice going high pitched and nasally. We both crack up laughing.

"Where there's Peeta fans, there will always be Katniss fans." Peeta points out.

"Yeah. And Capitol citizens."

"Crap." We both laugh some more. This feels so right: Me and Peeta walking home together, laughing and not caring what other people think of us. We've had to care far too long about what people think of us, and I think that both of us are done with the games and the caring. It's just gonna be us on this small planet that we have created from now on. Maybe including Haymitch, my mother, Dr. Aurelius, Plutarch and Sae every once in a while.

When we get to the part of the Village where Peeta has to go right an I have to go left, Peeta grabs my hand and says: "I'm just gonna go home to freshen up then I'll be over for dinner. Okay?"

I nod my head and he lets go of my hand. I instantly feel colder inside and like a piece of me has been taken away from me. Peeta makes me feel warm and fuzzy and complete. He always has, I've just never noticed it before until now.

I walk the rest of the way to my house in silence. When I walk in Sae is making dinner.

"Hello Katniss. What exactly did you do today to get yourself so full of paint?" Sae asks when she sees me.

"Well I helped Peeta paint the bakery. We're almost done. Tomorrow we have to finish just one small detail and then we can start installing shelves and appliances. Peeta's super excited about finishing his bakery. It's so much bigger than the last bakery." I stop talking realising I'm rambling. Sae doesn't mind though because she's smiling at the pot she's stirring. She must be amazed at the progress I've made: From spending all my time sitting on the couch just staring into the coals not saying anything to rambling on and on in the kitchen about my day and the one person who changed my life simply by waking me up with a 'What are you doing today?'. "I'm sorry. I'm rambling."

"It's okay honey. Go get cleaned up." I nod and head up the stairs, careful not to stumble with my crutches. "Don't forget to put a bag over your casts. Don't need to go get another one already." _If only you knew Sae, if only you knew._

After my extremely uncomfortable shower dinner is ready and Peeta is sitting at the table, waiting for me. Sae had left already leaving just me and Peeta together.

I sit down at the table and dish myself some food. As we eat, we play a round of 'Real or Not Real'. After dinner Peeta and I wash the dishes and then start to work on the book.

At about 10:30, I start to yawn.

"Katniss are ya ready for bed?" Peeta asks.

"Maybe. Are you staying?" I ask in my most innocent voice.

"Maybe. You'll just have to scoot your cute little boot up to bed and get ready and see if I decide to come up or not." He says with a cute little smirk on his face.

"Fine. But one thing, this boot could kick your boot anytime." I say pointing to myself then to Peeta. I laugh and walk up the stairs as I see Peeta blush.

Just when I finish brushing my teeth, I hear the door open. I put my tooth brush back into the drawer and walk into the room. Peeta lies in my bed on his side under the covers, with no shirt on. His perfectly sculpted body lying there is looking amazing. His abs perfectly pronounced and his scars that crisscross his skin like a crazy road map make him look strong and indestructible. His arms that look like they could crush steel are so gentle I know, and that boyish half smile he always gives me when he complements me or says something cute just makes my heart melt.

He sees me staring at him and smiles. "Come 'ere." He gestures for me to come over to him with his head. I crawl under the covers and Peeta's arms automatically encircle me in his warmth. His smell of cinnamon and dill and of cheap aftershave envelopes me with familliarness.

I snuggle into his arms and fall asleep knowing that everything will be okay because the word is a better place and I now have someone by my side to take on whatever the world throws at me. I know I'm not alone!

**A/N: Don't worry i'm not dead, just really busy. i don't even remember the last time i updated this story. now u all probably want a reason for my dissapearance. well here it is: my dog had to het surgery on her ear becarse she had this like lump thingy behind her ear. the vet said it was a tumor, but it wasn't a cancer tumor (thank god). then my cousin came to visit and like stole my laptop from me and when he left i thought he took it with him, but i found it. then when i opened my story i didn't like what i had so i restarted, but kept getting destracted. i kept watching the Jena Marbles videos (if you haven't seen them you have not lived) and then i started to read the Mortal Instruments. not to mention catching up on sleep (i slept for like 13 hours straight for 2 nights in a row) then i watched sucker punch (Jenna Malone as Rocket baby) and cried my eyes out at the end...yeah the end...**

**anyways i want to start another story but i cant pick what to write about, so check out my poll. =)**

**i need suggestions a lot because i dont know what to do. in the next chapter im thinking about doing the grand opening of the bakery, but if thats all thats in it then thats a pretty lame chapter if you ask me...**

**Jenna Malone is going to play Johanna. How 'bout that? i think she could totally pull it off just by watching her in sucker punch. she looks a alot like the johanna i pictured too i mean minus the blond hair, but she is a natural brunette so =D**

**reviews. plz.**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS SO SO SO MUCH **and i know nobody really reads these things **but other authors know that i do! haha**

**i love you =D**


	8. Chapter 8:Grand Opening

All this last month Peeta and I have been working the bakery. We put up the shelves together, we picked out the counter tops together, we put in the floor together, we picked out the tables and chairs to make the bakery into a Bakery and Café, we picked out the appliances together and we now are about to open the Mellark Bakery & Café for the first time ever together.

Yes, today is the Grand Opening for the bakery. We agreed to have the camera crews come out to district 12 to televise the grand opening. We agreed on only one condition: We don't do an interview. Plutarch and I had a long and might I add noisy conversation over the phone a week and a half ago over the interview. Plutarch finally relented and sent out the camera crews to get the footage, but no interview.

Peeta and I are now just finishing up on small little details. Peeta has to say a small little speech and then wants me to cut the giant red ribbon outside the shop.

Peeta has already stocked the display case with gorgeous cakes and pastries and loaded the shelves in the store with buns, rolls, loaves, ryes and any other type of bread you could think of. I've made thousands of cups of coffee, tea and hot chocolate.

I'll be running the till because I can't really walk that fast and Peeta will greet the costumers at the door; shaking their hands as they enter, receiving their congratulations. He might also end up in the back kneading dough for more bread.

"Peeta are you ready yet? The camera crews are here and the crowd is beginning to form." I call into the bakery and I look out the window.

"Yeah, I'm coming." Peeta says as he walks out from the back. "I can't believe that the bakery is finally open. It's crazy."

I nod not knowing what to say. I'm never good at knowing what to say. I open the door for Peeta and then follow him out.

The first thing I notice is the roar of the crowd and the flashing of the camera lights.

I scan the crowd, smiling and waving. I almost miss him, my eyes flit right over his grey ones. _Am I hallucinating? Is that Gale?_ I ask myself in my head. Sure enough there, standing in the crowd is none other than Gale Hawthorne himself.

I knew today was too good a day. I woke up this morning, not having a nightmare at all the night before. I had a wonderful breakfast and I walked to the bakery all by myself without falling or tripping. When I got to the bakery everything was perfect and ready to go nothing was even remotely wrong. But then again I was wrong. I was so wrong because standing in the crowd, grey eyes staring boldly into mine, stands Gale.

I look away quickly and start to smile and wave again. Peeta makes his lovely speech and I cut the ribbon. After the ribbon was cut the crowd clapped and Peeta and I raced into the bakery before the people. The bakery was busy all day, steady flow of costumers coming and going throughout the day. One person was there all day, but never came to the till to ask for coffee or tea or even a small muffin. No. he sat in a chair in the very farthest corner from me, staring. I could feel his eyes on me every second and he knew it. It was making me uncomfortable and yet, he refused to look away.

At the end of the day when the flow of people died down and Gale was one of the only people left in the bakery, he walked up to the counter and looked me in the eye and said: "Hi Catnip. How you doin'?"

"I was doing great until u decided to show up." I try to put as much venom as possible into my voice. I need to get him out of here before Peeta sees him. Gale might trigger one of Peeta's episodes.

"What happened to you? Did he do it to you?" Gale says eyeing my casts.

"No Gale, it wasn't Peeta who did this. I did this. I fell out of a tree and broke a couple bones. Get over it; it's not that big of a deal."

Gale looks away. "Are you still mad at me for something that was completely out of my control?"

"Gale I got over that. I don't blame you for that. I blame Coin and Snow, not you. That's not why I'm mad. I'm mad because here I am all day with you staring at me. Do you know how uncomfortable that was for me? I for one also am not in the mood to talk to you about _her_" I still can't say her name, "or anyone. I'm just not in the mood for talking to you period. End of story. Leave Gale before I make you." Gale's face contorts into confusion then anger then sadness. He then turns around and leaves. I turn around to see Peeta in the middle of an episode.

_Could this day get any worse?_ I get slammed into the counter by Peeta. _Yes, yes it could._

"Peeta, listen come back to me. Whatever you are seeing is not real, okay? Not-real." I say cautiously.

"Liar! You are in love with Gale. You don't love me you love him. Don't even try to pull this shit on me you little slut. I don't know how deluded I used to be if I was ever in love with something as disgusting as you." Peeta's words hurt, but I ignore them. I know that the person that's talking is not the Peeta I've learned to love. It's the evil, Capitol-bread-mutt, hijacked version Peeta, but it still hurts just all the same.

"Peeta please. Come back to me. I love you, not Gale. He's like a brother to me. Peeta please. I don't know what you're seeing, but just remember that only the memories that aren't 'shiny' are real." I don't realize that I'm crying until one of the tear drops lands on my hand. "Peeta please come back."

"You still lie. Brothers and sisters don't kiss each other. At least not the way that you kiss each other." I've had enough. I'm done. I'm ready to throw in the towel.

I grab Peeta's wrists and uncurl his fingers one at a time while softly humming the Valley Song. His bod visibly unclenches and he relaxes into my touch.

By the time I've finished the song Peeta has come back to himself and is slowly remembering what happened.

"Katniss did I hurt you?" His voice full of concern.

"No Peeta, you did not hurt me." _Liar._ I don't notice the pain, not only in my heart, but on my lower back from being pushed into the counter. My heart feels broken because of the words Peeta said to me.

_You idiot. How could you open up after so soon? It's only been a couple months. Just because you open up a bakery together doesn't mean that he's better, that you're better._ A small annoying voice yells in my head. _NO!_ I scream right back at it. _That was bad Peeta. Good Peeta is back now. He is good…_ I repeat that sentence over and over again until the small annoying voice goes away and all I hear is the breathing of me and Peeta in the closed bakery alone.

I look up at him. He's exhausted. The episode was one of the worst ones I've seen and it's obviously taken its toll. I place my palm on his cheek.

"Let's go home. You look exhausted. You need some sleep." Peeta leans into my touch.

"Why are you still here? I'm horrible and I say mean things to you."

"Peeta you are not horrible and you only say mean things to me when you aren't even you, so that doesn't count. Now to answer your question, I'm here because I care about you. You asked me to help you with the bakery a long time ago and I intend to keep my promise to help you. Plus I want to be here. I'm happy, or as close as too happy as I can get, here." I grab his hand and entwine my fingers with his. "Now let's go home and straight to bed. We have to get up early tomorrow to clean the bakery, and don't say you could stay up and work because you know just as well as I do that you is exhausted, and so am I." I pull Peeta behind me to the back door. I pull our coats off the rack and hand Peeta his, he puts it on without a word. I pull on my jacket and turn out the lights as I walk out the door and then lock it with a very sleepy Peeta in tow.

When we get home I walk Peeta up the stairs and give him clothes to change into. I walk into the bathroom to change into my night clothes and stop to look at the patchwork of my skin.

As I look at my skin I can't help but think of one of the quilted blankets that mother made for Prim and I when we were kids. The only difference being that mother didn't make this for me and that it's made of lab-grown skin and my flesh and not old t-shirts and pillow cases.

I put on my sleep clothes quickly so I don't have to see my ugly scars anymore. I brush my teeth and wash my face before I walk into the room to find a sleeping Peeta.

I smile. He looks so peaceful when he sleeps.

Slide in next to him and cuddle up to him the best I can without disrupting him or hitting myself in the face with my cast.

"Goodnight Peeta." I whisper to him as sleep pulls me under.

***Nightmare***

**I stand in the middle of the meadow, but his isn't my meadow. This meadow is all dirt and there are no flowers or grass or bushes, just barren earth. I can see District 12 in the distance, it's burnt out and all grey. I look to the forest and all I see is shadows.**

**Shadows of the trees that are supposed to be there and some other shadows I can't quite place yet. **

**The sky is a dark mahogany color and either the moon or the sun is hanging low in the sky, but instead of being either white or yellow it is blood red and seems to be dying.**

**I look down to my feet and see that all around me are scattered bones and bodies in different stages of decomposition. **

**I hear a **_**CRUNCH CRUNCH **_**of bones breaking under someone's feet. I look towards the sound and see Peeta. He walks up to me, in his arms is a small figure. He hands the small figure to me. It's the little girl in the lemon yellow jacket from the capitol that was killed simply because of where she lived. The girl opened her eyes and leaped out of my arms.**

**She stands at the edge of the forest and starts to beckon who or whatever is in there to come out. I watch in horror as thousands of people, if they could be called that, walk out of the forest and come towards me and Peeta. I guess the best way to describe them would be to call them zombies. They don't moan or shriek or even walk with their arms outstretched. They just walk forward with a porpoise. **

**Peeta moves out of the way and I try to move as well, but can't move. The little girl in the jacket comes face to face with me and she slowly goes from the youthful face that she once was and into one that has started to decompose and rot.**

"Katniss. Katniss wake up." Peeta shakes me. Concern lining his voice. Once he sees that my eyes are open and I'm awake he pulls me into an embrace. I cry into his shirt for the little girl who was small and innocent who didn't get to live her life. "Shh. It's okay, it was just a dream. It's okay."

"It was so real though." I sob into Peeta's chest.

"I know. Not-real, not-real." Peeta holds me until I calm down. "Are we good?" I nod my head, not trusting my moth to words. "Good, now let's try to get some sleep before we have to go to the bakery, okay?" I nod again and snuggle up too Peeta.

His familiar sent of cinnamon and dill, as well as the smell of cheap aftershave sooth me.

I fall back asleep to the sound of Peeta's beating heart telling me that he is alive and that means so am I.

**A/N: sorry for the wait. sorry gale fans for making gale sound like a jerk and stuff.**

**no one answered my poll. D: i need help before i forget all my ideas. **

**reviews?**

**suggestions?**

**i love u all**


	9. Chapter 9:BirthdayPart One

I wake up the next morning and see Peeta is no longer there lying beside me, but this time I don't freak out, I know where he is once I smell the air: he's in my kitchen. I sit up groggily and stretch out my sleepy limbs. I get dressed in a short sleeved green t-shirt and put on a pair of black yoga capris. I walk into the bathroom and brush the tangles out of my hair and re-braid it. Today I get my cast off an will be able to walk without crutches. Just as I finish brushing my teeth, the phone rings. I grab the phone and answer with a simple 'hello'.

"Hi Katniss."

"Mom?" I ask uncertainly into the phone.

"Yes, I just wanted to call to wish you a happy birthday. I'm sorry that I couldn't make it out to twelve to see you." My mom answers. Wait, it's my birthday? I look over to the small calendar on the bedside table and sure enough today is May 8th.

"Thanks mom. Don't worry about it. I'm not doing anything special anyways."

"You forgot didn't you?" she says in a flat tone.

"Pfft. I didn't forget my own birthday." I say lamely.

"Katniss, you never were a good liar." I can practically hear the smile in her voice.

"Fine, I forgot okay? I don't look at the calendar very often." I hear her laugh.

"What's new with you?" she asks after she calms down from laughing.

"Remember how I said that I have a couple cast from falling out of a tree?"

"Yeah."

"Well I'm getting them off today. I'm going at two today." I pause. "I miss you mom." I really do. Even if she wasn't there for most of my life, I don't hate her anymore. She has really tried hard for the past 3 years; not only for me, but for Prim, especially when I was in the games. Gale helped, but it was mom who was really there for her; to hold her and comfort her while I was injured or when I was sad after Rue died. Mom was there to tell her that I would be alright; that I would keep my promise to her to come back home; to not die. To me, that's the greatest apology I could ever ask for: to make sure Prim was safe and sound.

"When are you going to come out to see me? To see Annie? Finn is a real cutie. He loves the water, but there's no surprise there." She pauses and I hear a commotion in the background. She must be at the hospital, but then I hear her say something about 'the door is open'. "Sorry, Annie just arrived. She wants to talk to you. Is that okay?"

"Yes, definitely."

Another pause, then: "Hey Katniss! Happy birthday." In Annie's high pitched voice.

"Hi Annie. Thank-you." I say back.

"My birthday is coming up and I would really like it if you came over." Annie says. I can hear the hopefulness in her voice.

"When is it?"

Annie squeals into the phone in excitement and happiness. "May 23rd. Are you free? It's a Friday I think."

I peak at the calendar: empty. I huff. Why not? I get to see Annie; we've never been close, but maybe - just maybe – we'll be able to have a great long friendship, I'll also get to see little Finn and my mother who I haven't seen since I was in 13 which has been just over a year ago.

"I am free. In fact I think Peeta and Haymitch are too."

Annie squeals into the phone again and says: "I can't wait Katniss! It'll be so much fun! If you want we could also celebrate your birthday too, seeing as how you forgot." She says the last part in a mocking tone. I roll my eyes and silently curse my stupid memory and my mother's loud mouth.

"That's okay Annie. I'm sure even if I did remember I wouldn't do anything."

Annie laughs and then sighs. "It's good to talk to someone again other than your mom, my mom and Finn."

"It's good to talk to you too, Annie."

There's another commotion in the background and someone calling out Finn's name. "Sorry Katniss, I gotta go." Annie says and then hangs up the phone. Then press the 'end' button and set the phone on the charger.

I head downstairs to see Peeta sitting down at the table in front of a glass of orange juice and plate of bacon and eggs. He looks up from his plate when I enter.

"You know what day it is today don't you?" he asks playfully.

"Yeah, today is the day I get my cast off and can start hunting again." I state stubbornly not mentioning my birthday.

"Yes, but do you know the date?"

"Yes, May 8th. I think its Thursday, but I could be wrong. I feel like I'm forgetting something important, but I'm not sure what is could be." I answer with a smirk on my face still not mentioning my birthday.

Peeta sighs in defeat and bands his head in the table playfully. "Katniss it's your eighteenth birthday today." Peeta looks at me waiting for some sort of huge recognition, but I just double over with laughter.

I must look absolutely insane. Here I am laughing in my kitchen because…well I don't even know why. I think that's what makes it even worse; the fact that I don't know why I'm laughing.

"Peeta I know it's my birthday." I say once I catch my breath. "I was just pullin' your leg." **(A/N: No pun intended) **He looks at me one eyebrow raised, smile tugging at his mouth and completely still, just looking at me. Probably determining how insane I've gone, and then starts laughing, I join in only to be interrupted by Haymitch barging into the kitchen.

Once he sees us laughing in the kitchen we try to gain composure.

"What are you two all happy about?" Haymitch asks.

"I thought Katniss legit forgot it was her birthday than going completely insane and made a really bad pun without realizing it." Peeta says holding his ribs, probably from all the laughing. Wait, I made a pun? When?

"_Peeta I know it's my birthday." I say once I catch my breath. "I was just pullin' your leg._ Oh. I see it now. Just pullin' your leg, Peeta only has one leg, I see it now. That is not a very nice thing to say.

"Good. Just makin' sure. I haven't seen you guys in a while; I thought you killed each other." Haymitch says looking suspiciously between us.

"Haymitch I know you're going through manopause and that it makes you really emotional, but you need to know that we are very stable people okay?" Peeta says putting a hand on Haymitch's shoulder a smile tugging at his mouth.

Haymitch shrugs off Peeta's hand with a scowl on his face.

"Haymitch I'm happy that you came to check on us. Very thoughtful. Thank-you. Would you like to come over for dinner tonight?" I ask breaking u the war Peeta and Haymitch were having with their eyes.

He smiles. "I would love to, thanks sweetheart." He turns around with a start and walks out the door then turns his head and says somewhat wistful: "Happy eighteenth birthday." then closes the door behind him.

"He really loves us, he just won't say it." Peeta states as he walks up behind me and puts his arm around my waist.

"Yeah, and we love him, but won't say it either." I say back looking into his eyes. He leans down to kiss me. When we come back up, our foreheads touching he says:

"Happy birthday, Katniss."

000

After we ate breakfast we walked down to the still in building town. When we got to the bakery Peeta pulled me into a hug and kissed my head.

"Don't get hurt okay?" Peeta says looking into my eyes and holding my shoulders.

"I won't, I promise." I say placing my palm in his cheek and rubbing his cheekbone with my thumb.

He nods and breaks eye contact pulling me into another hug. This will be the first day since I broke my wrist and my leg that we haven't spent all day together and Peeta's worried about me.

_Things that can produce an episode:_

_Tracker Jackers/Wasps/Hornets_

_Needles_

_Blood_

_Pain_

_**Anxiety/Fear**_

_Dogs/Mutts_

_Gale_

Anxiety and/or fear will set him off. No one knows how to calm him down other than me and Haymitch. I don't want to scare any of Peeta's two employees or his customers.

"Peeta I'll be fine, calm down. I don't want you to have an episode." I say.

Peeta closed his eyes, took a deep breath and counted to ten. When he opened his eyes he looked a lot calmer.

"Better?"

"Better." He nods again. "Better." He says quieter, more to himself than to me.

"Okay, have a good day at work. I'll come see you after."

He nods again. "Thanks, you too." He smiles and heads into the bakery.

I walk down the street and receive little stares, but I still feel eyes on me. Then I hear the unmistakeable click of a camera.

I turn around to look in the direction of the click and see nothing. Confusion takes over me. I'm sure I heard a click. I look around again and see nothing. I guess I was just hearing things. Oh well, whoever said I was sane?

I turn back around in the direction I was on warily, still not convinced that I was hearing things.

000

"Well Miss Everdeen you are free to go. How do you feel?" Dr. McKee asks in that kind way doctors always do.

"I feel great." I say as I scratch my wrist.

"It might be just a little hard to use your hand and leg for a bit because your muscle is atrophied, but things will get better." He smiles a kind smile. "When you get home you'll want to start alternating gentle movement exercises and periods of rest for your limb right away. Be sure not to overtax your limb, though. Remember that your muscles will be smaller and less effective than they used to be for at least a couple of weeks. We need to set up a follow up date so I can determine when you can start hunting again."

"What? I thought I would be able to hunt right away."

He laughs, "Most people do think that once the cast comes off that you can just go on to do what you would normally do, but it takes a bit for the muscle to recuperate." I remember my mom saying something like this once.

"When do you think I could start to hunt again?" I ask, hoping with all my heart that it will be soon.

"Anywhere between eight to twelve weeks. I know that's long, but you can still help Peeta in the new Bakery and Café." He pauses. "You won't need therapy. If you feel any pain or you just think that something just isn't right, call me here at the hospital and I'll get you in as soon as possible. Try not to fall on your wrist or your leg because the bone is very fragile and I'm sure since you're waiting at least another eight weeks I'm sure you don't want to wait another."

"No I don't." He sticks his hand out to me and I shake his hand. As I stand up from the small hospital bed I was sitting on, I wobble slightly.

"Thanks Dr. McKee." I say almost out the door slowly walking as to not fall down.

"No problem Katniss." Dr. McKee says.

000

The small bell over the door dings as I walk into the bakery.

"Hello and Welco-" Peeta gets cut off as I walk in. I smile a half smile and open my arms as if saying 'I'm here'. Peeta walks over to me and smiles. "You look so different without the casts."

I snort a laugh. "Yeah, it feels different too." Peeta laughs. I glance at the small clock in the bakery: 2:45pm. I was in the hospital for almost 4 hours today.

After I tell Peeta all about m appointment, we get to work. Me at the till and Peeta in the back baking away.

At 5:30pm I decide to go home to start on dinner. Greasy Sae taught me one of her soup recipes and I want to try it out.

As I'm walking past a news stand I see me on one of the magazine covers. The headline reads: MOKINGJAY GET IN A FIGHT OR BUILDING ACCIDENT? It's the picture I heard get taken this morning, the one with me walking to the hospital to get my casts off.

"None of the above, you stupid paparazzi. I fell out of a tree." I say to the magazine. I roll my eyes and put the magazine back on the stand. I walk away shaking my head.

Now I have two things to call Plutarch about.


	10. Chapter 10:BirthdayPart Two

I throw open the door, it crashes against the wall, pictures rattle and one almost falls, but I don't care because I'm really pissed for multiple reasons. 1. A freakin' paparazzi took my picture and now I'm gonna get a million people asking questions. 2. I actually have to talk to Plutarch for longer than I did this morning. 3. Plutarch probably won't let me leave unless I do an interview and I don't want to.

As I slam the door shut and the pictures rattle again, I stomp to the phone sitting on the small table by the door where we put all our mail and the phone and dial the numbers I know better than I would like, angrily into the phone.

After three rings I hear Plutarch answers his phone, but before he gets to say more than Plu- I interrupt and say:

"Plutarch I swear to god that if you say one more word I will come to the capitol myself and flick you in the ear." I don't want to sound like the crazy murderous victor that left the capitol almost five months ago, so I have to say something that doesn't sound bad…or hurtful.

He shuts up. "Thank-you. Now let me speak. You know that I fell out of a tree two months ago because Dr. Aurelius told you. Today I found a magazine with none other than Katniss Everdeen on the cover. I thought that we had an agreement, that you would leave Peeta and me alone if we did an interview on Remembrance Day _**(A/N: Yes it will be Nov.11, in case you were wondering.)**_. This sure doesn't look like leaving us alone."

"Katniss I'm sorry, that wasn't supposed to be published. I deleted it as soon as it came in I promise. I wouldn't try to discourage you. Someone must have come into my office and sent it to the publishing people. Next time I will make sure I delete it forever and not have it sitting in my 'deleted files' file."

I sigh into the phone. I'm not going to get anything better than this.

"Thank-you Plutarch." I apologize, my voice a lot calmer now, no not calm more like exhausted. "I have one more thing. I was wondering if I could go to district four. You know my mom lives there and she wants me to come out. I was only there once, but I didn't have much time to explore and enjoy the sights because I was there only for the Victory Tour and was trying to devise a plan that would most likely mot get Haymitch, Peeta and I or anyone else, killed. Also it's Annie and Finn's birthday. Mine was today so we were planning a party for the three of us plus I'm sure the other victors."

"Is that safe? Victors in the same room I mean." Plutarch asks sounding amused.

"Well not entirely." I say a slight laugh lining my voice.

Plutarch chuckles at my response. "Okay, you can go. I just have to fill out a few papers. You'll have the whole rest of the month if you'd like. I would like you to do an interview over the phone though tonight at about 7:30."

I sigh. "Fine."

"Happy Birthday Katniss. Have a nice night and I will be calling back at about 7:15."

I nod than realize that he can't see me so I say: "'Kay, I'll talk to you then." Then hang up the phone.

000

Peeta made dinner that night and Haymitch came over, eating most of it. Peeta was trying really hard to maintain a conversation, but Haymitch was far too busy shovelling food in his face to pay any attention to Peeta, and I was trying really hard to figure out how to tell them both about going to district four.

"Okay Katniss I know you're hiding something, spill it." Peeta says after his last question went unanswered. Haymitch looked up and stopped stuffing his face to look at me.

"Damn it Peeta, why must you know me so well?" I ask as I look at him.

"Because, Katniss, I am a boss." Peeta says with a smile adorning his face.

"No, he knows you so well because he's a super creeper parson who stalked you for like five, six years." Haymitch adds with a mouthful of food.

"Shut up Haymitch!" Peeta says looking over to Haymitch with his eyes widened and his ears turning red. "That's not the point. The point is that Katniss is not telling us something."

Haymitch swallows his food and says: "So Katniss doesn't tell us a lot of things. She doesn't tell us when she's PMS-ing does she?"

"HAYMITCH!" Peeta and I say simultaneously.

"What, I'm just speaking the truth here?" Haymitch says putting his hands up in mock-surrender.

"Katniss will you just tell us already?" Peeta asked impatiently.

"Fine, I have two things." I take a deep breath. "Mom called this morning to wish me a happy birthday and told me all about little Finn. Annie's birthday is coming up too and she asked if I would come out to district four and I said I would come if I could get Plutarch to let me and I also might have said that you two were free as well and are willing to come. So I called Plutarch when I got home and that leads to my part two of this little story.

"So on my way home from the bakery I came across a magazine with me on the cover with my casts on still and the headline reading 'MOCKINGJAY GET IN A FIGHT OR BUILDING ACCEDENT'. So, I with my short temper, freaked out and freaked out at Plutarch for letting it through and he said that he deleted it once he got it and someone must have hacked into his account and put it through.

"so because I decided to kill the wrong president and am not really allowed to leave district twelve without permission from the capitol I had to call. So I made a deal with Plutarch that if I have an interview over the phone at 7:30 I can go to district four. We have the whole month so I've decided we're going to leave on the eighteenth." Both Peeta and Haymitch have their mouths agape. Peeta regains his composure first.

"You went through all that trouble just to go to district four?"

"Yeah." I say nodding. Haymitch still hasn't picked up his jaw off the floor. "Haymitch, close your mouth, you'll catch flies." At this he snaps his jaw closed and scowls at me.

"So we just pack up and leave? For how long do you think we are going to stay?" Haymitch finally says after a long moment of silence.

"Two weeks maybe. I want to see everything. It will be nice to see my mom and to see Annie. Plus she could use some help I'm sure." I answer. At the prospect of helping with a small child reminds me of helping mom with Prim when she was little. Usually the thought of my little sister would bring tears to my eyes, but it doesn't. Instead it brings a smile remembering how she used to giggle if you tickled just above her hip, but below her armpit or how she used to love everything and was always so caring of the small flowers on the weeds or the small delicate and intricate lace work on my mother's dresses. She was always so particular about everything. She put her little spin on everything and everyone she touched. She was like a beam of sunshine on a cloudy day. Everyone loved her.

"I guess I could find someone to run the bakery while I'm gone." Peeta states distractedly. He's studying me. Gauging my reaction. He knows me all too well. He knows that whenever I think abo tittle children I think about Prim and he looks relieved to see that I haven't broken down into tears on the floor yet. Maybe I am getting better.

"That's creepy." Haymitch says looking between Peeta and me.

I wold never know what was so creepy because at that moment in time the phone rang and I knew immediately that it was Plutarch.

**A/N: I'm sorry it's taken me like a million days to update and I'm really sorry. I love you?**

**I'm eating some toast and homemade jam that is really good (Apricot and some wild berry something-or-other). If you review I'll give you a free jam from my auntie (she's the one that made it) and a loaf of bread. If you give me a suggestion I will give you two jams and two breads. But you can't cheat and just put in the jam flavor you want. You actually have to say something. **

**For example: "I really like your story. Keep on writing. You're doing great. Wild berry." So now if you sent this one you get one bred and one wild berry jam.**

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**~Lexi**


	11. Chapter 11: BirthdayPart Three

"Hello Katniss. You're going to be on in less than half an hour. Are you ready?" Plutarch asks me once I answer the phone.

"Yeah, I guess." _No, I'm definitely not ready._

"Good, good. Just hold until we're ready for you."

"Okay." I hear a dial tone that indicates that I have been put on hold.

Peeta comes to stand beside me and grabs my hand. I look at him gratefully. Even though he isn't talking, he's here, even though he isn't the one that has to do the interview, he's here.

Haymitch stumbles in front of me and asks: "So, sweetheart, what are you going to say?" _Aint that the million dollar question?_

"I have no idea. I was thinking just to wing it. Answer their questions truthfully. You know because I don't have a knife hanging over mine and my family's heads anymore, metaphorically I mean." I say, still holding the phone to my ear.

Haymitch smirks. "Good one sweetheart." I roll my eyes and lean my head against the wall and close my eyes, listening to the annoyingly loud and repetitive beeping of the dial tone.

Peeta rubs small and soothing circles on my hands.

All I want to do right now is to go to bed. Wait—why am I tired? I slept in today. I didn't do anything remotely taxing. Well, nothing more taxing than I already do every day.

Focus Katniss, focus. What are you going to say if they ask you if you and Peeta are together? The truth obviously. What about if they ask about marriage? Well obviously I'll tell them that was a sham and get on with my life…that might not work out.

"Peeta, what do I tell them if they ask about our marriage?" I ask, opening my eyes. His eyes widen.

"I don't know. If we tell them it was a sham, they'll never trust us again and you don't want to lie." Peeta says furrowing her brow.

"They probably already know. Plutarch isn't really that good at keeping secretes. Once someone asked him about it, I'm sure he spilled the beans." Haymitch says, looking unfazed.

"You've a point." Peeta says smiling. I nod, relax and go back into my own head.

I should put the phone on speaker so that Haymitch and Peeta could listen. No they might say something to make Peeta go into an episode, but they deserve to hear. Yeah, I think they deserve that much. They went through just as much as I did if not more…definitely more.

I chuckle lightly. Peeta and Haymitch look at me like I've lost it again.

"What's so funny?" Peeta asks a soft smile on his face.

"Oh, nothing." I look down at my hands still smiling. I put the phone on speaker just as Plutarch comes back on and says:

"Okay, Katniss. You're on in five."

I roll my eyes. "Okay Plutarch."

Five minutes later I hear Cesar Flickerman introduce me to the crowd. Peeta reaches for my hand under the table.

"Katniss, darling, how are you?"

"Fine I guess?" I answer.

"Great. What's going on in District 12?"

"Well, re-building is going great and more and more people are coming back home from district 13. We even have some new citizens from all over the place, mostly district 13 though. The mines aren't open yet, but we've found other things to do."

"That's great Katniss." You can tell Cesar doesn't care though. "Tell us, what happened to your arm and your leg?"

I roll my eyes even though I know he can't see me.

"Believe it or not I fell out of a tree." I hear the audience laugh.

"Katniss Everdeen fell out of a tree. Katniss, tell us how in the world did you manage to fall out of that tree? You practically live in them."

I contemplate telling them the truth.

"Katniss you don't have to lie to them anymore Katniss. Show them how broken you are." Haymitch whispers.

I take a deep breath. _I'm not that broken._

"Well, it's actually quite easy to fall out of one when you're exhausted from waking up every hour from nightmares."

The line is silent. _They weren't expecting that._

"You see this was the case with me, and I'm sure this is the case for many others." I continued. "I had decided to go on a morning hunt for the first time since before I killed Coin and while I waited for game to cross my under my tree, I fell asleep. I woke up from a terrible nightmare and in my dazed stated I continued to thrash about when I kicked the tree so hard I shattered my shin bone. Then I broke my fall with my wrist. Not only did I break my wrist and my shin, but I also broke a few ribs."

Still silence.

"But I assure you I'm good as new now and hoping to get back into the swing of things soon."

More silence.

Peeta and Haymitch are trying to suppress laughter. Haymitch fails and soon after Peeta does as well, both of them having to leave to calm themselves down.

"Well Katniss that is quite the story." Cesar says.

"Really, you find that amazing? I know plenty more people that could give you so many better stories than I can."

Now I'm trying to suppress laughter.

I can practically see Plutarch scurrying around getting Cesar to get me to stop talking.

"Well, Katniss, it seems we're out of time. Thank-you for joining us tonight."

"Bye guys." I hang up then burst out laughing.

"Way to be blunt Katniss, way to be blunt." Peeta yells from the kitchen still laughing.

"Blame it all on Haymitch, he's the one who told me to tell the truth." I say walking into the kitchen to join the guys. "Sometimes the truth hurts."

We all burst into another fit of laughter.

* * *

**A/N: here's another chapter.**

**i have a valid reason for why i haven't updated: i live in canada and it's winter. also i got glasses.**

**i have another one finished and will be uploaded within the hour.**

**Reviews?**

**Suggestions?**

**~Lexi**


	12. Chapter 12: District Four

I take a deep breath as I step onto the train for the first time since the Quell.

Peeta has taken my hand hostage in his as we board the train. Haymitch follows close behind.

_Things that can produce an episode:_

_Tracker Jackers/Wasps/Hornets_

_Needles_

_Blood_

_Pain_

_**Anxiety/Fear**_

_Dogs/Mutts_

_Gale_

I'm worried about Peeta. I'm not sure what the train could do to him, and I'm so hoping that it's not something bad. For me a train ride is full of anxiety and fear. He seems fine though.

We're off to District four.

Haymitch sobered up just for this trip and I haven't had a nightmare for, oh well, since the night before the night before the interview. Peeta hasn't had an episode since the Grand Opening of the Bakery because Gale decided to grace us all with his presence (note sarcasm).

I called Annie this morning and she was quite pleased to hear from me:

"_Hey Annie?" I speak into the phone._

"_Katniss?" Annie squeaks._

"_Yeah. I called to tell you that we're gonna be there by like five-ish." I say._

"_I can't wait to see you guys. Your mom, too." I hear the smile in her voice. She's so happy. That makes me happy. "I invited Johanna and Beete as well. I hope you guys don't mind. I thought I'd bring us all together."_

"_Did you invite Gale?" I ask somewhat wary._

"_No, why?" she pauses then quickly adds: "Is it because of Prim?" she says the last part softy._

"_No, it wasn't really his fault. It's like, if someone dies because they were shot, do you blame the person who invented the gun or the person who shot it?" I hear her agree softly. "It's because he causes episodes for Peeta, and because we've changed far too much for me and him to ever be friends again. I'm too soft and he's too brutal. We just don't work."_

"_I see." She says this somberly, then: "Well, I'm just excited for all my closest friends to be together again. Plus, I don't think Beete will be around for much longer. He's pretty old and he's gone through quite a lot."_

"_We all have, Annie. We all have."_

"_I know." The happiness drained from her voice. "By the way, your interview was hilarious. I don't usually watch that channel, but Finn got a hold of the clicker and he changed the channel to that one. Once I heard your voice I took the clicker from him, he wasn't too pleased, but I suppose you said something he liked because he stopped fussing."_

"_It might've been the bright capitol colors on the screen that calmed him."_

"_Yeah you might be right." She pauses. "I gotta go, Finns crying. See you around five."_

"_Yeah. Bye."_

"_Bye."_

Because it's mine and Annie's birthdays I bought made her a nice pair of rabbit skin mittens. I don't know if District four has a winter like ours, but they're nice. I also made a matching pair for Finn. I also made some dream captures, one for both of them with the extra leather from the gloves and soft downy feathers from Haymitch's geese.

Peeta drew a pastel drawing of Finnick fishing with his trident, he even framed it himself. He also drew a black and white sketch of Annie and Finnick on their wedding day. Peeta also framed that one. Peeta made me something, but won't tell me what.

Haymitch got her a beautifully knit blanket. I can tell it's old. It had patches and a few holes, but it looks warm and clean. When I asked who's it was he said it was his as a boy and that it kept him safe and dry through the coldest of winters in the seam.

I hugged him after that. It was so sweet and sentimental.

As the train starts to move, I place my head onto Peeta's shoulder. We watch district twelve disappear into the horizon through the window.

* * *

The next thing I know I'm being shook awake by Peeta telling me we've arrived in district four.

I stand up drowsily and collect my bag from the overhead compartment.

Once off the train, I'm attacked by a short woman with red hair—Annie—and my mom.

"Hey guys. Long-time-no-see." I laugh.

"Hi!" Annie says excitedly, little Finn in her arms.

"Hey honey." My mom adds.

I look at Finn who is looking at me wearily.

"Look at you, Finn. You've gotten so big." He smiles. "The last time I saw you, you were in your mommy's tummy." I poke him in the stomach. He giggles cute little baby giggles. I smile and come back to my full height. I didn't even notice that I bent down.

Peeta's smiling wistfully at me, Haymitch and my mother proud and Annie just happy.

I _am_ getting better than.

* * *

When we reach Annie's we all settle in. Her house is much like mine except instead of grey, white and black; hers is aqua blue, white and a sandy yellow color.

She has pictures of her and Finnick all over the walls, a few of baby Finn, but because he's so young there're only a few.

In one corner there is Finnick's trident and a net, possibly woven by Finnick himself.

Her house backs onto a beautiful beach.

It's currently sunset and I'm sitting on the back porch watching the beautiful oranges, pinks, blues, purples and reds. The sun reflects beautifully off the ocean district four is truly known for.

I feel a warm hand on my shoulder and look up to see Peeta standing looking out at the water.

"It's so pretty, isn't it?" I ask.

"Yeah." He pauses. "This is my-"

"-favorite color." I finish. "You told me on the victory tour."

He smiles. "And you told me just before we stormed the Capitol."

"Real." We say at the same time. We laugh.

"Dinner's ready." Annie calls.

Peeta helps me up and we walk hand in hand to the dinner table.

This was the best idea I've ever had.

* * *

**A/N: see...within the hour.**

**i love all my new and old followers. thank you so so so much for the reviews, likes, follows, favs, everything. i love yo guys so much.**

**i might not get the remembrance day chapter on here my rememberance day, but i'll try.**

**Reviews?**

**Suggestions?**

**~Lexi**


	13. Chapter 13: Fun, Wood and Liquor

**A/N: i dont own anything**

* * *

Annie put me and Peeta in the same room. My mom was weary at first, but soon relented because she honestly didn't want to be the one to deal with a screaming, grumpy Katniss. I don't blame her. I wouldn't want to deal with me either.

Peeta and I were face to face lying like we usually do, hands clasped between us, noses only a few inches apart.

Peeta looks deep in thought. That is really unusual for him, so I ask what's on his mind. Big mistake.

"Have you ever thought about having kids?" Peeta asks quite bluntly.

_Did he just seriously ask me that?_

Well he caught me off guard.

"Um…uh…er…uh…um…no…yes…maybe…I don't know." I stumble over my words.

"I just thought that because you were so great with Finn that you maybe wanted to have one of your own someday. I mean, if you don't that's okay, but I just was wondering."

"Peeta I practically raised Prim and we all know how well that ended, same with Rue. I take care of someone and they die. I would mess up the poor kid's life if I ever became a mother. The kid would either hate me and run away or would love me and die. And therefore either way they would leave me. I don't think my poor brain can handle any more abandonment or death." I don't realize I'm crying until I feel Peeta wipe away the salty tears.

"No, Katniss. You would be the greatest mother. He way to treated inn proved it. I see you talk to the young kids just starting school, telling them how much fun they'll have. I see the way you smile slightly when you see a mother and her child come into the bakery or just plain walking in the street. You love kids and kids love you. You are just too darn stubborn to admit it."

I huff. "Peeta, I don't know if I could handle a little person running around. Not yet at least. Not any time soon or in the near future. I'm just not ready."

"Okay." He relents dropping the subject.

He kisses me on the nose and closes his eyes muttering a 'Goodnight Katniss' under his breath.

* * *

I wake to the sound of a door bell ringing and a baby screaming. On the bright side, at least I didn't wake up screaming from a nightmare.

I groan and start to roll out of bed when I hit a solid chest.

Peeta.

He still hasn't woken up yet, but I can tell he's not far from it.

I kiss him on the cheek and go downstairs. The ringing continues, more persistent this time.

I open the door to see Johanna in all her brown hair, brown eyed glory.

"Hey, brainless. Long-time-no-see. How you been? You look like crap." Johanna smirks.

"I'm great-ish, and thanks for stating the obvious. I just woke up to your ever persistent door bell ringing and little Finn crying."

"Was that you ringing that doorbell?" Peeta asked walking down the stairs shirtless, pajama pants hanging low on his hips. I catch myself staring at his defined abs. Light golden hair trails down from his navel to under his pants. His pale golden skin practically glows in the morning sunrise, his scars barely noticeable. My breathing hitches. God, I never noticed how hot Peeta was.

"No it was the gremlin that lives down the street. Of course it was me. Jeeze, you're more brainless than Katniss." Johanna smiles knowingly at me, I just scowl.

"C'mon guys, breakfast." Annie calls from the kitchen.

We sit down at the table, Peeta beside me and Annie and Johanna across from me. My mom and Finn are probably upstairs.

Breakfast goes swimmingly…until Johanna decides to start making jokes.

"Why didn't the skeleton cross the road?" Johanna starts.

"Why?" Peeta asks.

"Because he didn't have the guts to do it." _Bu dun ch._

"What do you call a thousand blonds lined up in a row?"

"What?" Annie asked.

"A wind tunnel."

"Ha, ha, ha." I fake laugh. Johanna scowls at me and continues:

"Why was the blond fired from the M&M's factory?"

"Why?" I asks, bored.

"Because she kept throwing the W's away."

"I find this extremely insulting." Peeta comments from beside me.

Johanna ignores him continuing on to another bad joke:

"What did the grape say when the elephant stepped on it?"

"Why?" all three of us said at the same time

"Nothing. He just made a little 'whine'."

Annie and I laughed a little. "Okay, that one was good."

"The last joke, you ready?" Johanna asks. All three of us nod. "What do you do if a hot gay guy is following you?"

"What?" I asked, a smile already playing at my lips.

"Grab your straightener." All three of us burst out laughing.

"That one was great, Jo." Peeta says, wiping tears away from his face.

"I know, I try."

* * *

Soon after breakfast, Haymitch made an appearance.

"Nice of you to join us." I say sarcastically.

"Peeta, get dressed and come with me." he says ignoring me.

"Why?" Peeta questions.

"Because I said. Hurry." Haymitch says.

"Better go get dressed Peeta. You got a hot date with Haymitch." Johanna calls from the kitchen where she helps Annie do the dishes.

Peeta sighs and starts up the stairs.

"I suppose I do, don't I?" he mutters. I stifle a laugh.

When Peeta comes down stairs he wears a white t-shirt and a pair of light blue and white checkered swim shorts, a pair of flip-flops on his feet. Aviator glasses hang from the neck of his shirt.

"Ready, lover boy?" Haymitch asks.

"Shut up Haymitch." Peeta says and brushes passed him putting on his glasses in the process. "Bye, be back soon."

"Maybe." Haymitch adds.

I really don't want to know where they're going.

* * *

**Peeta POV:**

I jump into the driver's seat of the blue convertible Annie lent us.

"Where're we going?" I ask once I get the motor running.

"You are driving me to and from the liquor store." Haymitch says buckling his seatbelt.

I sigh. "Didn't you promise go sober?"

"Liquor's not for me lover boy, it's for Katniss' birthday."

"You're getting Katniss liquor?" I raise one eyebrow.

"Yup." He says popping the 'p'.

"Why can't you drive yourself?"

"Because I'm old and I'm tired, and because I can barely see without my glasses. I left them in District 12."

I sigh again and then I drive the car towards the liquor store.

* * *

**Katniss POV:**

To say I was suspicious when Haymitch asked Peeta to go with him was an understatement. But when they came back with one bag with a 1 liter bottle in it, made me even more suspicious.

When they got back Peeta high tailed it out of the room.

Uh oh.

"Where'd you guys go?" Annie asks bouncing Finn on her lap.

"Oh, no place special. Just some guy time, you know." Haymitch says sitting down on the couch.

'_Guy time' my ass._

* * *

Beete showed up around noon, only a couple hours after Johanna.

The real party started at 3 o'clock.

A whole bunch of people showed up. A lot I didn't know, but it was fun none the less…kind of.

A lot of people came up to me and either was extremely star struck or told me that my recent interview was the most hilarious thing they had ever seen.

I am currently sitting on a couch watching Annie open her presents.

She got a lot of clothes and money. Not to mention a lot of things for Finn.

Annie grabs mine.

"Okay. This is from Katniss." Annie announces to the small crowd. Annie carefully unties the leather string holding the rabbit skin together that holds the gifts.

Once she sees the dream catchers her smile stretches so big I'm seriously concerned that her face will split in half.

"Oh, Katniss. They're so pretty." She holds up the dream catchers to get a better look and to show everyone else. "Thank-you, did you make them?"

"Yeah, the feathers are from Haymitch's geese. You're supposed to put them by your head to that the bad dreams that try to get to you get stuck or at least that's how the legend goes." I explain. My dad taught me how to make dream catchers and told me the legend. It seems legit enough.

She then pulls out the rabbit skin mittens.

"Katniss these are so soft. Did you make these too?" she asks trying one on.

"Yeah, their rabbit. They're really warm. I didn't know if you guys had a hard winter like in 12, but ii made them just as warm anyways."

She smiles. "Our winters are really cold and wet. The snow gets really heavy."

I laugh. "Good thing I made them water proof." She smiles.

When she got to Peeta's gift she let a few tears roll down her cheeks. She was so happy and touched that she attacked Peeta in a bear hug.

After Haymitch explained his gift she hugged him much like she hugged Peeta.

Beete got Annie a super high tech baby monitor.

Johanna got Annie a beautifully carved wooden rocking chair. I have not the slightest clue where she hid that thing. It is huge.

Many people asked me to make them dream catchers or if I could teach them how to make them. To each one I said I'd be here for two weeks.

After everyone left Johanna handed me a new bow and quiver filled with 24 arrows.

The bow was intricately carved with deer, rabbits, squirrels, bears, tracker jackers, trees and most of all, mockingjays. The bow was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

"I don't know how to string a bow so you might have to fix it so you don't end up killing yourself." Johanna explains.

"Thank-you so much, Jo. Did you carve it?" I ask.

"Yeah, it took forever so you better use it." She smiles and hits me in the shoulder. "No problem brainless."

Annie hands me a box. I open it and inside is a pair of dark green rubber boots.

"Thanks Annie."

"No problem. I heard it rains a lot in the spring there." Annie explains.

"It really does."

Next was Haymitch. He handed me a long thin box, uh oh.

Haymitch has an evil grin on his face.

_Do I even want to know?_

I open the lid and inside is a bottle of vodka.

I mentally face palm.

Haymitch is laughing his ass off.

"Thanks…Haymitch. Real nice of you to get me some liquor." I throw the box at his head.

"No problem sweetheart." He ducks making the box miss his head. "This is just a prank. Your real gift is back in 12. I couldn't get it here on the train so I left it at home."

"It's all right Haymitch. Thank-you, it's the thought that counts anyway, right?" I say.

Beete hands me a black bag.

"It's a game bag. It has settings so you can keep the meat cold so it doesn't spoil before you sell and or trade it." Beete explains.

"It's so light, where's all the technology?" I ask searching the bag.

"It's microscopic. The little chips were woven into the fabric. Also the bag is water proof as to not destroy the microchips." Beete answers.

_Hum, pretty cool. I didn't know you could even do that._

My mom hands me a small package wrapped in cloth.

I carefully open the twine that holds it together.

Inside is the last picture of me and and Prim together inside a beautiful oak frame.

It was taken sometime in District 13, and you can tell.

Prim looks all grown up and I look weak and frail. The grey of my clothes match my aparent mood, but the grey looks lighter and happier on Prim. She radiates happiness and youth. She looks beautiful with the little she had, not unlike she's done for the past 12 years of her life. Well, what she used to do.

"Thank-you mom. It's beautiful." I say.

She just smiles. Her eyes wrinkling at the corners. Even mom is beautiful in her old age...okay, so she's not that old, but close enough.

Last but not least is Peeta.

He hands me a card in a forest green envelope, my favourite color.

I open the envelope and inside is a beautiful card, undeniably hand made by Peeta.

There are small sketches of us all the way from the first games all the way until now. In the middle are the words: "Happy Birthday Katniss: The Girl on Fire - Mockingjay"

I smile and open the card very carefully as to not wreck the pictures.

Inside is a small message: "Happy Birthday, Katniss. I'm treating you to a special belated birthday dinner. Dress nice. Xoxo, Peeta 3"

I laugh and look up to see Peeta gone.

_Where in the world did he go? He was here a second ago._

* * *

**_A/N: sorry for the cliffy, but life is busy and stuff. for people reading _Real or Not-Real_ i'm planning on updating that soon. im a dancer so right about now is when things start to get crazy with costmes being ordered and routines getting under way. i have 5 dances this year so lots of practice it required on my part. sorry if i dont updete soon. also this is my 10th year in dance. _**

**_this chapter was helped by _Pineapple3000_._**

**_shout out to_ Kelly: thanks so, so, so, SO much. just for you this chapter was updated a lot faster than it would have been.**

**_i will have 7-8 more chapters in this story._**

**_do you guys want peeta to propose marrage or give katniss a promise ring?_**

**_suggestions?_**

**_reviews?_**

**_~Lexi_**


	14. Chapter 14: Dinner

As soon as I put the card down after wondering where Peeta went, Johanna and Annie each grab one of my arms and drag me down the halls.

_I've been ambushed!_

Once in my room we start. One and a half hours later of makeup, hair and wardrobe, Johanna who was doing my makeup tells me to stand up and look in the floor length mirror hanging on the wall.

In the mirror there is a girl with brown hair up in a curly up-do with a few strands hanging loose. Her hair is pinned in place with bobby pins with small diamonds on them. Her hair glitters in the yellow light of the room.

She has the same features as me, but is ten times more beautiful than me. For her eye makeup: a navy blue smoky eye. Her long lashes coated in mascara. Her olive skin glitters like the skin of a goddess.

Her dress is a midnight blue that hugs her body until it gets to her waist; it flows to the ground like a waterfall at night. Every so often there are small diamond jewels that make the dress look like it really is a water fall at night reflecting the stars. It's only got one sleeve that hugs her arm to her wrist. The other arm is just as glittery as her face.

To think this beautiful woman is her would me a crime.

"That's you, Katniss." Johanna whispers.

"Thanks guys, I look beautiful." I say turning around, still not believing that she's me.

"Peeta's gonna love it." Annie says.

"Who made the dress, its beautiful." I ask.

"Cinna, Haymitch was over at your house with Peeta one day, cleaning out the basement when they came across a box of dresses that Cinna made. Haymitch knew about this so he brought it so that is you looked into Peeta's bag you wouldn't clue into the fact that they had something planned." Johanna says.

_Cinna made it. Well duh he made it, it looks perfect on me and it's way too beautiful for anyone else to have made it._

"Now hurry up, don't want to keep lover boy waiting now." Johanna says teasingly.

I smile and hug them both before going downstairs.

Once I step into the living room, my mom is the first one to see me.

She gasps and walks over to me.

"You're so beautiful Katniss." She whispers as she hugs me. I thank her. When she pulls away she wipes away a tear.

Haymitch stands up and smiles. "You look good sweetheart." He hugs me like a father would hug a daughter who he doesn't want to grow up, but can't do anything about it. I thank him.

"You little bugger you." I point at Haymitch. "You knew all about this. You guys are very sneaky."

Haymitch just smirks and shrugs.

Beetee smiles at me from his wheelchair. "Very beautiful, Katniss." I thank him.

"Lover boy's waiting, Katniss." Haymitch remarks.

"Bye everyone." I call as I open the door to the night. The full moon making my dress glitter like the waterfall I was designed after.

I hear a gasp and look over to the noise.

Peeta stands in a sharp suit.

"Damn, when Haymitch fond that dress I knew it was going to be pretty, but, damn girl." Peeta says teasingly, visibly checking me out.

I feel a warm blush creep onto my cheeks. "You two are very sneaky."

He smiles and kisses me on my cheek. "Beautiful." He whispers into me ear.

I melt into his embrace.

He leads me to a shiny silver convertible. Once he starts the car I ask where we're going.

"That's for me to know and for you to find out." He smirks at me before he twists to back out of the driveway.

The whole way to wherever we are going for dinner Peeta's leg was jumping up and down and his hands were gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles turned white. He's nervous. Maybe because he's nervous that I'm not going to like the place we go, or is he hiding something else…

Once we got to the place (a nice restaurant) Peeta opened the door for me and helped me out. After making sure the doors were locked he led me into the restaurant with his arm around my waist.

When the hostess saw us she smiled and gestures for us to follow her like she sees famous people like us all the time. Maybe she does.

Peeta made a reservation in a dark corner of the restaurant where we won't be easily seen, which I'm thankful for. Not that I'm embarrassed to be seen with him or to be seen period, it's just I don't want people to stare or to make it easier for the press to take pictures.

Peeta pulls out my chair for me and then pushes it in like the gentleman he is.

He sits down his knee still bouncing nervously, and smiles.

"How do you like it?" he asks, sheepishly.

"I love it Peeta, thank-you." I smile with my words.

The candle light from the candle on the table lights up Peeta's face even more making as bright as the sun and just as beautiful.

He grabs my hand on top of the table and then opens his menu to choose what he wants to eat.

I follow shortly after.

A waitress named Janina takes our order.

Peeta and I share small talk.

When our food comes and Janina asks if we want anything else I say to Peeta:

"You know, this is our first real date." He smiles.

"I guess we did things a little backwards, eh?" his eyes twinkle in the candle light.

I smile back. "Yeah, we did." We both laugh.

We continue on eating and sharing small talk until Janina comes and takes our empty plates.

We share dessert and then after Peeta pays the bill (he insisted that it was the guys job to pay on the first, second, third, and all the rest or the dates after that. For that he got a playful scowl) and leaves a tip, his prosthetic leg starts acting up.

He kneels and starts digging in his pocket and produces a small black box, assumingly for extra tools. He looks up at me. He smiles and opens the box.

Inside is a bronze band that looks to be made of a bunch of little bronze vines clinging to the pearl that Peeta gave me on the beach in the Quell, the pearl that kept me sane some nights while in district 13, while Peeta was gone, mentally and physically.

"Will you Katniss Everdeen, marry me and make me the happiest man in the world?" Peeta says with the most beautiful smile I've ever seen.

_Wait, what? Rewind: "Will you Katniss Everdeen, marry me…?"_

…

…

…

I think I might faint…

No, I'll be alright.

With each passing second Peeta's smile falls just a little.

So this is what he was so nervous about.

_Will_ I marry Peeta? DoI want to yet? Yes. I do. Am I ready to burden Peeta with me?

_Oh, shut up. You're not burdening him. He would have left by now if you were._

I smile. "Yeah, I will." I whisper and give him my left hand.

His smile brights up to over a million watts and slides the ring onto my ring finger.

He stands up and hugs me, picking me up off the ground and spinning me around like in old movies from the capitol.

He kisses me hard on the lips once I'm on two feet again. When he pulls back he opens his stunning blue eyes and says:

"Thank-you."

"Is your leg alright?" I ask, concerned.

He laughs. "Yeah, that was just a way to surprise you."

"Sneaky bastard." We both laugh.

"We walk out of the restaurant hand in hand.

The whole way back to Annie's I admired the perfect ring on my finger. How it fits me just right and how it symbolizes so much. It takes all my will power not to tackle Peeta right there and just hug him forever. He's just too perfect.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the wait. i was gonna have this up by christmas (well before actually), but my computer decided to be stupid and turn off randomy so i lost all of what i had. i was rally mad so i decided to sulk for a bit and upload Real or Not Real. im so sorry. i recently got bronchitis and so im staying home and decided that to kill a few hours without killing my lungs i should write.**

**7 more chapters. =)**

**Suggestions?**

**Reviews?**

**~Lexi**


	15. Chapter 15: Bliss

Once Peeta and I came into the living room, hand in hand, we were bombarded with questions.

"How was the date?" Johanna asked.

"Oh my goodness, Katniss! He proposed didn't he?" Annie squealed. Before I could answer, they started up again.

"My baby's growing up." My mom exclaimed placing a hand on her heart and looking at me from afar.

"Let's see, let's see, let's see." Johanna gushed. I handed them my hand and they both squealed at the same time. "Is this the pearl he gave to you on the Quell?"

"Yeah." I answered.

They squealed again. Haymitch was off to the side patting Peeta approvingly on the back. My mom was standing not far from them, still with her hand on her heart, but tears in her eyes along with a small smile. Beetee was nowhere to be found. He must have gone to bed.

"So, when's it gonna be? The wedding that is." Johanna asked.

"I don't know. Sometime next year maybe. But we're still not fully recovered so I just don't want to end up having a mental breakdown on my wedding day. That would suck majorly. I'm super excited though." I explain. I know Peeta hears by the way he sighs in my peripheral.

"Well. regardless of when you're having your wedding, we're planning your bachelorette party." Annie says smiling pointing to herself and Johanna.

With all the commotion, Finn woke up and proceeded to cry and wail like most babies do.

"I'll go get him." I say. Everyone looks at me funny like it was the last possible thing for me to say, but the thing is, is that it's true: it is the last possible thing I would normally say, but I'm missing Prim extra tonight and I'm getting married sometime soon. So to say the least I'm a little off.

I ignore their stares and go get Finn.

When I get to his blue-green, beach themed room and turn on the light he stops his relentless wailing.

When he sees me he smiles, remembering how I tickled him when we first arrived.

"Hey, Finn. Did we wake you up with our talking?" I ask him. He nods his head as I pick him up and put him on my hip. "Wanna go see mommy?" He nods again. "Okay, let's go then."

As I walk down the stairs in the dress that makes me look like a goddess and Finn on my hip I swear Peeta almost swoons. Once Finn sees Annie he thrusts out his arms towards her and des something no one thought he would do.

He talked...

"Mommy." Finn said.

Annie stares wide eyed a her son.

"Did he just—did he?" Her eyes roll to the back of her head and she faints. Johanna just manages to catch her.

"Mommy!" Finn says distraught at tea sight of his moth crumpling on the ground like a puppet who's strings have just been cut.

"It's okay Finn. Mommy's just tired. She's okay. Don't worry." I'm he first to recover from shock.

"Tired mommy?" Finn asks, his face a mask of confusion and disbelief.

"Yup. Mommy's just very tired." I say back.

Finn yawns. "Tired." Finn says laying his head in my shoulder. The kid is pretty tall for his age. He's almost one, I think he's like 9 months** (A/N: I know Finn should only be about 5-6 months right now, but for the benefit of my story he's 9 months). **

"Okay, buddy. Lets go back to bed." I say.

"No. Wait. Mommy." He grabs my dress.

"Okay." Just then Annie sits up.

"I'm okay. Did Finn really talk?" She asks as she sits in the ground.

"Yup." Peeta says.

"Oh, jeeze." Annie places a hand on her forehead. "He only said 'mommy', right?"

"No, he also said 'tired', 'no' and 'wait'." I add.

"Mommy." Finn stretches his arms out again.

I give him to Annie. "You scared mommy."

"Why?" Finn says.

My mom groans. We all look at her. "Once they start with the 'why' it never stops. Trust me. It gets really annoying."

"Why?" Finn asks again.

"Because baby, mommy wasn't expecting that. You're just like your father. Surprising me at the randomest times." Annie finishes with a small, sad smile.

Finn smiles back and hugs his 'mommy'. "Tired." He whispers into Annie's hair.

Annie takes Finn back to bed.

Shortly after she leaves I yawn.

"It's not just Finn who's tired." I yawn again. "G'night. I'm going to bed." I start up the stairs Peeta not far behind.

I take my hair out first then I wash off all the makeup. I turn on the hot water in the shower. I walk into the room. Peeta already in his pyjamas: a pair of grey sweats. I smile at him.

I walk over to the rack where we put the hanger. I grab the hanger. And walk back into the steaming bathroom.

_Crap, how am I gonna get out of this dress. _

I walk back into the room.

"Peeta," I say shyly. "will you un zip this please?"

"Sure." Peeta blushes a little. My face is probably already as red a a tomato. "Okay, I'm done."

"Thanks, Peeta." I say my cheeks heating a just looking at him.

As I walk back to the bathroom all I can think is:_ This is pathetic. He's my fiancé. I should not blush when he simply undoes my dress. My goodness. _

I sigh and step into the hot spray, think about everything from how Finn talked to how I can now call Peeta my fiancé.

Fiancé: it's got a ring to it.** (A/N: AHAHAH) **

* * *

Once I finish in the sower I realize I forgot my pyjamas out on the bed. I'll have to walk out there in only my towel to get them. I look around the bathroom for my towel...no towel.

Crap.

I walk to the door open it a crack and say: "Peeta?"

"Yeah?" He answers.

"Can you get me my towel...and my pyjamas?"

"Sure." He says. Laughter in his voice. I shove my arm out the door and make sure he can't see me.

_Agh! This is again PATHETIC! I should not be like this around my fiancé. But because I'm such a prude I can't even get him to undo my dress without blushing. _

Peeta places the stuff in my out stretched hand. "Thanks." I say taking my arm back and closing the door.

"No problem." He says through the door.

I dry off and then I put my pyjamas on: a baggy t-shirt and black sweats.

I quickly towel dry my hair, leaving it damp.

I grab the blue dress that Cinna made me from hanging on the towel rack. Once back in the room I put the dress on the rack that I got the hanger from. Peeta's tuxedo was hanging there already.

Peeta was sitting on the bed sketching. I sat next t him and looked over his shoulder. He was drawing me in my dress. The full moon behind me and stars every once in a while like they're following me.

I had put my ring back on. I didn't even notice until I looked at my hand. It's so comfortable. I love it. I love him.

I knew this a long time ago, but I just wouldn't let myself believe it. I think I might've been completely in love with him since the Quell, maybe before that.

I just keep thinking about kids. He wants them so bad, yet I really don't. I'm mostly afraid. Afraid that I'll mess up the kid...or the kids life. I'm afraid that I'll go away like my mom did because as much as I'm like my dad, I'm like my mom.

I guess I'd want kids one day, but I don't know.

As long as Peeta didn't leave me then I'd be okay.

"How do you like it?" Peeta asks, jarring me out of my thoughts.

I look at the page. It's beautiful.

I'm looking at myself in my blue dress. The moon and the stars following me like they would follow Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt.

I learned about Artemis from an old book from before the Dark Days. I think it was called Greek Mythology.

"It's beautiful Peeta. I look like Artemis, goddess of the moon and the hunt." I exclaim to him as I look at the beauty of the sketch.

"Seems legit. You hunt very well and you also ruled the moon and the stars tonight. It seems quite legit." Peeta says looking over my shoulder at the drawing he just finished.

I laugh. "I never thought of it like that."

I can feel him smile against my neck. He rests his chin on my shoulder. He breathes in and exhales with a happy sigh.

"You smell so good." He mutters.

"Well, I better! I just had a shower." We both laugh.

"No you smell good all the time. Like pine. Like fresh air." I feel him smile and smell me again.

"You smell good too." I feel him open his eyes, his eyelashes that I love so much brush my neck. "You smell like fresh bread and cinnamon and a small dash of dill. Sometimes if you we're icing a cake in the bakery that day, you smell like icing too."

I wrap my arm around his head to place my hand on his blond head. He laughs.

"You're very funny." He says closing his eyes again.

"Yes, yes I am." I smile, putting the sketchbook on the bedside tale to loom at my ring.

"I still can't believe that you're gonna be my wife." Peeta says.

"I can't believe that you're gonna be my husband." I say. **(A/N: did you know that in ASL [American Sign Language] 'husband' is actually 'boy-marriage. Sorry just some random facts that I thought I should share.) **

He sighs happily again. "You tired?" I ask. He simply nods his head. "Okay sleepyhead, lets stop admiring my ring and go to bed shall we?"

Peeta laughs tiredly. "I'm glad you like it."

He lays down and I place myself in his arms. I shut off the light and just as soon as that happens, Peeta joins the lights: out.

* * *

**A/N: I'm sorry for the wait. my house is being renovated so I don't really have much time to write. which sucks. I'm currently working on my IPad so if there's random mistakes that make no sense. That's why.**

**thanks for the reviews btw. I got a lot of them.**

**Im thinking about doing a sequel. What do u guys think? If I do, do a sequel then it will be AU where Katniss has her daughter only 2 years after this. I like FinnXKatniss and Peeta's daughter.**

**Suggestions?**

**Reviews?**

**~Lexi.**


	16. Chapter 16: Letters

Today's our last day in District 4.

Peeta and I sit on the rocks overlooking the sea, watching the sunrise. I'm going to miss the humid salty air and the rhythmic sounds of green-grey waves crashing against the old beaten rocks.

We have a train to catch this morning. I miss home, but I've fallen in love with the beautiful paradise that is District 4.

"We go home today." Peeta announces as I place my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah. We do." I say wistfully.

"I'm gonna miss this warm weather." Peeta smooths down my hair.

I groan. "Me too. I was almost starting to like sleeping with the windows open."

Peeta chuckles and holds my left hand with his free hand. "Is all this real? Am I really holding you in my arms as my fiancé? Or is this some cruel joke that the world has set up?"

"This is real." Say looking up at his beautiful blue orbs.

He smiles teasingly. "That's exactly what an allusion would say."

I smile and kiss him gently. "Now do believe I'm real?"

He smiles. "Hmm, I don't know. I think you'll have to help me."

I kiss him again but this time a little harder. Enough to leave us winded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure this is real." We both laugh.

Once the sun has fully risen we walk back to Annie's house hand in hand.

The smell of eggs and bacon is wafting ever so gently in the air around the house, but strong enough to make even a vegetarian's stomach grumble.

"Anne's giving us a goodbye feast I suppose." Peeta says pulling me by the hand into the house.

"Hey guys, you're just in time. Breakfast is served." Annie exclaims putting a bowl full of crispy bacon onto the table. Finn is sitting in his high chair munching on some scrambled eggs, fruit and bacon pieces. It's the perfect example of what a home should be.

"Don't mind if I do." Haymitch says reaching over to take the bowl of bacon.

Peeta and I sit next to each other across the table from Haymitch and Johanna. Annie and my mom sit at the head and end of the table. Beetee went home late last night. He said that the times in District 3 are way different and the only way for him to get back into the swing of things would be to go home then. Little Finn sits in his high chair, happily munching on pieces of eggs and bacon.

There's less laughter at the table this morning. Less swearing on Johanna's part and less stupid sober-drunk comments coming from Haymitch. Finn must notice something's different because he's quieter too.

Over the past week, Annie and I have grown closer. I'm really going too miss four but going home will be nice. Home is home, right?

My dad used today that the home is where the heart is and I don't really know what he meant by that.

After breakfast Peeta and I packed our bags together. I gave the liquor to Haymitch and he gladly accepted. Beetee's game bag is folded nicely around the beautiful bow and quiver Johanna made me. I folded the picture of me and Prim in a pair of pants and place my new green rubber boots from Annie on top like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae like in the Capitol.

I zip my suitcase closed and carry it downstairs and place it by the door.

Peeta's outside packing all the luggage into Annie's car. Annie doesn't live far from the train station (a curse and a blessing), but there's a lot more stuff than last time plus a lot more people that being the reason behind the need of a car.

My mom grabbed me by the arm before I joined the others in the car.

"I won't be able to see you off at the train. I've got to be at the hospital." My mom smiles wistfully. "But I just wanted to say happy birthday and congratulations." She hugs me and kisses me on the cheek.

"Thanks mom. Bye." I call after her as she walks away. She waves over her shoulder.

The drive to the station was silent and heavy. Everyone as grieving the moment they have to step onto different trains, going to different Districts, back to their old lives of nightmares and cold weather.

I don't blame them, but I'm sure they, like me, are also kind of happy to be going home.

"We'll have to do this again." Annie says breaking the heavy silence.

We all agree. "Except next time Katniss and Peeta will be with child." Johanna says. Haymitch snorts.

I scowl at Johanna and a gorgeous blush blooms across Peeta's face.

I never really noticed how much I like Peeta's blush. He does it all the time. I guess it's like when Peeta came down Annie's stairs, clad in only pyjama pants that morning Johanna showed up. Making my breath hitch without even trying.

I'm shaken out of my thoughts by the car jolting to a stop.

Finn was silent the whole ride to the train station.

Peeta jumps out of the car and grabs mine nod his luggage. Johanna grabs hers and Haymitch his. After they all say their goodbyes they go to the two waiting trains and dump the bags in the storage compartments then hop onto the train.

"Katniss, it was nice getting to know you better. Finnick talked a lot about you." She sighs wistfully. "He was worried about you like an older brother might be worried abut a younger sister. I feel the same way."

"I liked getting to now you too. Finnick really loved you. You were probably watching, but when he and I got trapped in with the Jabber Jays, he almost-no he did have a mental breakdown when he heard you scream. It was like the sound of a man being shattered." I explained.

Anime just nods, tears brimming her eyes. She opens her arms in the universal 'I really need a hug right now' way. I open my arms and hug her.

"I miss him Katniss. I really do. It's so hard to raise a kid without the father to help." She says through my chest.

"I know Annie. I really do. I raised my sister all by myself and she turned out better than me. I now Finn will do good because he has you for a mother and Finn for a biological father." She nods and pulls back.

"Thank you Katniss." She smiles. "Get to your train now before it leaves."

"Okay. Bye Annie, bye Finn." Finn waves his small hand as I run up to the train and join Peeta and Haymitch.

* * *

I fell asleep on Peeta again. I was shaken awake by Peeta again.

"You kids go on ahead of me. I gotta pick something up." Haymitch calls to us.

"Probably liquor." I mumble as Peeta agrees.

Peeta and I walk home in blissful silence, our hands interlocked between us.

Once home we start to unpack. Just as I start walking downstairs to out my suitcase in the basement, Peeta runs up the stairs.

"Here. Let me take this. You just go upstairs and have a nap or something." Peeta says hurriedly taking my suitcase from me.

"Um...okay." I say suspiciously. Peeta just smiles. I sigh and walk up the stairs wondering why I'm being sent to my room like a child.

* * *

After about 20 minutes, Peeta comes upstairs and tells me I can come down now.

"Close your eyes." Peeta whispers in my ear.

I do as he says and he leads me down the stairs. When we reach the living room, Peeta makes me sit on the couch.

"Okay, open your eyes." Peeta says happily.

When I open my eyes, I'm attacked by a brown ball of fur. I pull the attacker to see a puppy. A beautiful brown puppy with a bright pink nose. The puppy sits on my chest and starts to lick my face.

"Okay puppy, off." I say, moving my face from the pink tongue. The puppy stops.

Haymitch laughs. "Happy birthday sweetheart."

I look up at him. "He's mine?"

"Yeah, his name is Hunter. He's a lab, I think that's what Sae said. Se also said that if you need help training him that she'll help." Haymitch explains. "I also took the liberty of buying you a bag of dog food and a dish." He kicks a giant black bag on the floor. "This'll last maybe a month."

Peeta looks at the dog, a shocked expression on his face. "Jeeze dog, you sure eat a lot."

We all laugh.

* * *

Hunter is a great addition to our small family. He's a handful, but a good handful.

Peeta feeds him, I train him and take him hunting and for walks.

Hunter has decided that he will sleep on our bed.

Right in the middle.

Peeta and I haven't cuddled in almost two weeks. That's, like, three years in our little world.

This morning when Peeta and I wee eating breakfast, Peeta says:

"Katniss, you need to buy Hunter a bed. I need to cuddle my fiancé when I sleep." He slumped onto the table melodramatically.

I pat his head. "I will, honey. I will."

Needless to say, later that day I bought a dog bed from Sae later that day.

* * *

A few months later, I received a letter from Johanna.

_Hey brainless, _

_ I just wanted to say that I'm seeing someone. Now before you get all 'why do I care Johanna?' on me, hear me out. _

_ I'm dating your ex-best friend. _

_ Now before you freak out and shred the letter than burn it, listen. I really like him okay and I want you two to figure things out because it still rips him apart. He blames himself for the death of Prim and he hates that you hate him. _

_ Write me back please? We need to figure this out. _

_ -Johanna_

I wrote back right after I finished reading.

_Hey Johanna,_

_ I'm glad you're happy._

_ I don't hate Gale. He just drops in on the most unwelcome and the worst times. I really don't hate Gale, there's just too much crap that can't be fixed between us. We'll never be what we once were. But I think that's the case for everyone. _

_ Another reason that I don't bother with Gale is because he is a cause of Peeta's episodes. They're really hard on the both of us and we try to avoid them at all costs. _

_ Gale isn't the reason for Prim's death. I've said this before and I'll say it again: if someone dies from a gun shot, do you blame the shooter or the creator. They're boh at fault, but you always lame the shooter because they had the choice between pulling the trigger or not. _

_ Gale may have created the bomb, but he never set it off, Coin did. Or maybe it was one of her minions that are so willing to carry out her orders no matter how sadistic they may be. _

_ I want to fix things with Gale, but it's hard because I'm sill fixing myself. _

_ -Katniss_

After I sent the letter, I received another one a week later.

_Dear brainless,_

_ When did you get so deep?_

_ Now that that is all cleared up, are you willing to set up a day to see Gale and just talk? _

_ He's willing and ready. Are you? Is Peeta?_

_ -Johanna_

After this letter, I told Peeta. He sent the letter that time.

_Dear Johanna,_

_ We're ready. _

_ One week. _

_ -Peeta_

* * *

**A/N: sorry for being away forever. I had dance competitions. in the first one. Got two gold a silver and a bronze then in my second one I it a silver and a gold. I did my first solo this year and got gold so that was awesome.**

**i had major writers block dire to stress and stuff. I have two more compeitions to go.**

**Thank you to all that wished me luck. I love you all.**

**Suggestions?**

**Reviews?**

**~Lexi**


	17. Chapter 17: News

Gale is coming today.

Gale and Johanna are going to be sitting in our living room today.

To say I'm nervous would be an understatement.

Peeta seems to be fine. Clam and collected as usual. He's even made lunch.

To calm my nerves, I decide t take Hunter out.

Hunter's gotten to be quite the help in the woods. He's silent and can hear and smell the game much better than I ever could. Even though he's just a puppy now, he'll grow into a larger dog and be able to protect me. I think that's Peeta's favourite part about having a dog.

"Hunter, my old hunting partner's coming over today. I'm really nervous and scared. What if Peeta has an episode? What if Gale starts freaking out? What if I can't fix things?" I start to hyperventilate.

Hunter comes to sit in my lap. His floppy brown ears flat on his head in submission. I hug him. "Thank you, Hunter. Thank you." He places his chin n my back over m shoulder as I hug him. Hunter is far too good a dog.

By the end of our hunt, we caught two rabbits and a few birds. I had them in my new game bag from Beetee. The bow Johanna gave me is amazing. It's silent, makes absolutely no noise when I release the arrow.

When we get home, Johanna and Gale are just walking up to the porch.

I take a deep, calming breath, then call out: "Hey guys!" Hunter runs up to meet them. He starts by jumping on them in greeting, then he starts to sniff them, learning a whole world of things from just smell.

They both turn around. "Hey brainless. Who's this?" Johanna gestures a Hunter.

"That's Hunter. My new and improved hunting partner." I say teasingly.

Gale smirks. "I was the best and you now it."

Even though there's laughter in the air, I can still feel the underlying awkwardness and tension.

"In your dreams Hawthorne." I pause. "Let's go inside, shall we?" I gesture toward the door.

"Peeta, I'm back." I call into the house. Hunter jumps on Peeta in greeting.

"Hey Katniss, Hunter." He calls back from the kitchen.

"I found some random people outside our door. They say they know you, but they don't look familiar." I joke.

"Katniss, everyone thinks they know us." He jokes back, already catching on as he walks from the kitchen. "Hey guys." Peeta greets Johanna and Gale.

I begin to unlace my boots and watch Peeta out of the corner of my eyes. I can see the tension in his jaw. He's trying to fight off an episode.

"Excuse me for a minute." Peeta says tensely. He's probably off to get some medication. He hasn't had to take any for over three months now. That's a good thing. It means that he's learning to control, but if he has to now, it means that the episode is fighting back with just as much strength as he is.

Now, I'm more worried than before.

"Well, come sit down. Could I get you something to drink?" I offer to break the awkward silence.

"Could I have some water, please?" Johanna asks.

"Sure, Gale?" I ask as Hunter sits on the couch and starts to groom himself.

"No thanks, Catnip." He smirks at the old nickname.

I walk into the kitchen to get Johanna some water. Peeta comes into he kitchen from the bathroom just as I pull the cup from the cupboard.

"You okay?" I ask.

He nods. "Yeah. I just had some meds, so I'll be out of it for a while, but I'll be fine." He kisses my forehead.

I fill the glass with water and then walk back into the living room with Peeta. I hand Johanna her water then head back to the kitchen to deposit my game bag and wash up a little. When I get back Peeta is telling them a story about Hunter falling into the toilet during his first bath.

Needless to say, we won't be bathing him in the house anymore. We'll use the hose.

"Okay guys, we need to talk. We need to solve our problems together." Johanna says.

"Agreed." Adds Peeta.

"How are we going to do this Dr. Manson?" Gale teases.

She scowls at him.

"How about we all just agree to put the past behind us and only bring up the good parts? We all just agree to get along and tolerate each other?" I suggest.

Everyone looks at me, surprised I talked at all. "I'm not mute, I'm not stupid, I do have ideas."

"I agree. That sounds like a good plan." Peeta says lacing his fingers with mine.

"I have to agree with baker boy. Past is the past." Gale says.

"We all agree that this is a good plan." Johanna summarizes.

"Great, now we can all run off into the sunset and live happily ever after." Gale says, a giant, uncharacteristic smile on his face.

* * *

By the end of the night we were like old friends and I guess we are.

When Gale and Johanna have to leave (they only came for the afternoon. They have work tomorrow) we say our goodbyes and decide that at our earliest convenience we will have to get together and do this again.

"I never thought they'd get together." Peeta mumbles sleepily. The meds are starting t wear off and when they wear off, they leave him extremely tired.

"C'mon honey, let's go to bed." I say as I usher him up the stairs.

"Okay." He says through a yawn.

Once he's settled into bed, he falls asleep. He's going to have a giant headache tomorrow. Crap.

* * *

The day after Gale and Johanna came over, Peeta was irritable and achey and grumpy.

The medication does that to him.

Just before Peeta and I went to bed that night, Peeta hugged me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I hugged him back.

"I'm sorry, Katniss. I've been grumpy and terrible today." He pulls me closer.

"It's okay." I smile. "I'm like this all the time and you deal with it in stride. Never one complaint."

He sighs. "I love you, Katniss. You're perfect." I rub his back soothingly.

"I love you too, Peeta." I blush at the complement.

We walk upstairs and go to sleep.

* * *

After two months of Gale and Johanna visiting twice a month, Peeta no longer has to take medication around Gale.

* * *

The phone rings.

"Hello?" I answer.

"Hello, Katniss!" Plutarch exclaims over the line.

"Hey, Plutarch. What's up?" I ask.

"Next month is November."

"I'm aware. Anything useful you want to tell me?"

Peeta mouths: 'Who is it?'

I mouth: 'Plutarch.'

His eyes widen and he disappears onto the kitchen.

"Next month is Remembrance Month. You and Peeta have an interview on the 11th." Plutarch explains like its the most obvious thing in the world. I guess to him it is.

"Oh. Okay. When do you want us down there?" I ask.

"Preferably by next week."

* * *

**A/N: I'm not sorry for the cliffhanger. **

**Two chapters within two days, you lucky people. **

**I need names for:**

**Gale+Johanna's kid (boy)**

**Katniss+Peeta's kid (boy & girl)**

**then some other random children. (Boys & girls)**

**suggestions?**

**reviews?**

**~Lexi**


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